PhD student in Global Health at the Department of Family Medicine, Shashika Bandara receives the prestigious 2022 Vanier scholarship. His doctoral thesis will examine improving implementation of Framework Convention of Tobacco Control (FCTC) in low- and middle-income countries. Shashika will particularly look at how context influences the FCTC implementation efforts. Zimbabwe, the highest tobacco producer in the African region, will be a focused case study in his research to examine the political economy of tobacco and advance supply reduction pathways especially related to Article 17 of the FCTC. Shashika will be working in collaboration with Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Marondera and Training and Research Support Center, Harare in Zimbabwe. Shashika will be working with Dr. Raphael Lencucha as his primary advisor.
The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships and the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships are funded through the three federal research granting agencies: the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. This year’s investment totals $34.7 million, with $24.9 million for Vanier scholarships over three years and $9.8 million for Banting fellowships over two years.
“Congratulations to the 2022 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships and Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships recipients! We celebrate your dedication to research and growing Canada’s outstanding research ecosystem. Through these continued investments, we help foster the development of our next generation of talented researchers, who will develop innovative solutions and lead the charge toward a bright future for all Canadians.”
– The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health
The news release is available at: https://www.canada.ca/en/innovation-science-economic-development/news/2022/11/government-of-canada-invests-in-the-next-generation-of-scientists-and-researchers.html
The list of Vanier CGS recipients is available at: https://vanier.gc.ca/en/scholar_search-chercheur_recherche_2022.html
The list of Banting PDF recipients is available at: https://banting.fellowships-bourses.gc.ca/en/2021-2022-eng.html
About Shashika Bandara
Shashika Bandara is a doctoral student focusing on global health policy at McGill University. He holds a masters in global health from Duke University and is formerly a policy associate at the Center for Policy Impact in Global Health at the Duke Global Health Institute. Here is his latest editorial on BMJ: https://www.bmj.com/content/379/bmj-2022-073475.full?ijkey=AI4YpzTu7nGMpOg&keytype=ref