Awards for Queen's Alumnae

Fellowships for Graduates of Queen's: 

The following awards are made annually to women graduates of Queen's University for a year of study and research or to pursue an endeavour that contributes to the advancement of knowledge, contributes to society or allows creative expression.

• Marty Memorial Scholarship 

The scholarship, established in memory of Dr. Aletta Marty, M.A. 1894, LL.D. 1919 and her sister, Sophie Marty, a distinguished graduate of Queen's University is awarded annually by the Queen's University Alumnae Association to a woman graduate of Queen's University, for one year of study and research.

Dr. Marty was a pioneer woman in the field of education, and Canada's first woman public school inspector. Miss Sophie Marty was for many years Head of the Department of Modern Language at Stratford Collegiate Institute.

• Jean Royce Fellowship 

This fellowship, established in memory of Jean I. Royce, B.A. 1930, LL.D. 1968, Registrar, Queen's University, is awarded annually by the Queen's University Alumnae Association to a woman graduate of Queen's University annually for one year of study and research.

• Alfred Bader Fellowship in Memory of Jean Royce 

Established in November 2003 by Alfred Bader, Sc '45, Arts '46, M.Sc. '47, LLD '86, and other friends, in memory of Jean I. Royce, B.A. 1930, LL.D. 1968, Registrar, Queen's University, this fellowship is awarded to a woman graduate of Queen's University for one year of study and research or to pursue an endeavour which contributes to the advancement of knowledge, contributes to society, or allows creative expression. All requirements for a Queen's degree must be completed by the spring convocation in the year of the competition.

Application for Major Fellowships for Graduates of Queen's (Deadline passed)

 

 

 

2012-2013 Recipients

Jean Royce Fellowship

Lindsay Kobayashi (MSc, Epidemiology / B.Sc.H Life Sciences)

I have applied to PhD programs within each department listed for the three universities name above. My objective is to gain the skills and expertise necessary to become a global leader in research on social equity in cancer prevention as a professor at a Canadian university. At the three institutions I have applied to, I have proposed to research social inequalities in cancer screening participation or cancer survival, and potential communication-related barriers to preventative and health care services that may create and/or reproduce these social inequalities.

Social inequality is defined as any inequality between individuals population groups based on some aspect of social status. Ethnic and racial minorities, low occupational or educational status groups, or men or women may be subject to social inequality in various areas of life. Some examples of social inequality include lack of access to health services, poor quality housing, poor access to transportation, and in general, systematic discrimination and/or exclusion based on social status. A body of evidence exists indicating that social inequality has negative effects on life expectancy, quality of life, and several health conditions. Research on the effects of social inequality on cancer is scarce, limiting cancer preventative and treatment interventions targeted at the most disadvantaged groups in society.

Emerging evidence from the UK indicates that participation in colorectal cancer screening has been lower in ethnic minority and low income groups compared to more privileged social groups. At University College London (UCL), I have proposed to determine whether these inequalities have continued over time in England’s National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. I will have access to the screening program’s database of over 11.2 million screening-eligible UK adults to perform this research. I will then examine the roles of literacy and language barriers in creating and reproducing social inequalities in screening. Results will directly inform planning of interventions to improve participation in colorectal cancer screening among low income and ethnic minority groups in England. My proposal supervisor at UCL is Dr. Jane Wardle, who has extensive experience in conducting multi-disciplinary research on social inequalities in health behavior and cancer screening.

At the University of Montreal (U of M), I have proposed to use data from the Canadian Community Health Survey to determine whether social inequalities exist in colorectal cancer screening in Quebec, the Canadian province with the lowest screening rate. I will then conduct a qualitative interview study on the island of Montreal examining literacy and language barriers to screening and they may create and reproduce social inequalities in screening participation. Again, this research will directly inform planning of interventions to improve colorectal cancer screening participation among socially disadvantaged groups. My proposal supervisors at U of M are Dr. Louise Potvin, a Canadian Institute of Health Inequalities and Community-Based Approaches, and Dr. Geetanjali Datta, whose expertise is in social inequalities in cancer and cancer prevention.

In Canada and the United States, some recent evidence points to a social inequity in cancer survival where people of lower socioeconomic status are more likely to die of cancer after being diagnosed than those of higher socioeconomic status. Reasons for this inequity are unknown, and likely stem from social inequalities in health behavior and/or health system access between socioeconomic groups. At the University of British Columbia (UBC), my proposed doctoral research will examine health system access barriers, including literacy and language, which may influence socioeconomic inequity in cancer survival. I will identify population sub-groups who may be vulnerable to inequity in cancer survival due to low health system access. This research will directly intervention efforts by the new UBC Cancer Prevention Centre to improve equity in cancer rates. My proposed supervisor at UBC is Dr. Carolyn Gotay, the Canadian Cancer Research Chair in Primary Cancer Prevention.

 

Alfred Bader Fellowship in Memory of Jean Royce

Julie Lee-Yaw (Ph.D. Zoology Candidate)

Polar bears roam the North Pole. But will they in the next century? What does global climate change mean for the distribution of animals and plants? If the environment becomes unsuitable for a species where it is currently found, will that species go extinct or will it be able to move to new areas? The world turns to biologist for the answers to these questions. However, the answers will elude us until we can address a more fundamental question: why are species where they are?

Although climate is thought to explain the distribution and geographic range limits of many species, numerous other explanations have been put forth, including the influences of dispersal barriers and species’ interactions. The relative importance of these different factors will determine if and how climate change will impact species’ distributions. For instance, shifts in geographic distribution in response to climate change may not be possible for species with ranges that currently limit by dispersal barriers, such as mountains. Evaluating the possible alternative causes for species’ range limits is thus critical for predicting and subsequently addressing the potential impacts of climate change on biodiversity. This need is the motivating force behind my research.

Using the long-toed salamander as a case study, my research seeks to determine the relative importance of a) climate b) dispersal barriers and c) species’ interactions in the shaping geographic range limits. Amphibians are an integral part of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems alike. That one third of the world’s amphibian populations are reported to be declining represents a serious threat to the integrity of ecosystems everywhere. Understanding the factors that limit amphibian distributions and how climate change will impact these distribution is thus of imminent importance. The long-toed salamander is an excellent system in which to explore these questions. The species is made up of five subspecies with adjacent distributions in the Pacific Northwest (western North America). The range limits of these subspecies are concordant with those of 75% of the amphibians in the region.  Identification of factors shaping the distributions of long-toed salamander subspecies will therefore provide insight into the general distribution of amphibians in this large and ecologically important region of North America.

To date, I have completed extensive field surveys and accurately located the range limits of the different long-toed salamander subspecies. My goal now is to evaluate the causes of these range limits. Using models of current climatic conditions and landscape topology, I am testing whether range limits are associated with major climatic breaks across the landscape and/or dispersal barriers, as would be expected if climate or dispersal barriers generate range limits in this system. An alternative explanation for range limits where closely related groups meet, is that range limits form as a result of hybridization. Specifically, breeding between groups that are ecologically or genetically distinct may result in the production of hybrid individuals that do not survive or reproduce well. In such cases, individuals that move beyond the current range limit and attempt to breed with members of the other group fail to leave descendants. In this way, range expansion is prevented and existing range limits are maintained. I have collected genetic data that confirms that long-toed salamander subspecies do hybridize where they come into contact at range edges. It remains to be seen whether reduced hybrid fitness promotes observed range limits and thus whether these range limits would exist independent of any effects of climate or dispersal barriers. To test this hypothesis, I will conduct breeding experiments in the laboratory and measure the relative survival and fertility of hybrid and non-hybrid individuals.

Overall, my work represents one of the first attempts to explicitly test multiple, alternative hypotheses for geographic range limits in any organism. My approach-combining genetic, spatial and laboratory data- represents a unique framework for systematic investigation of geographic range limits. It is my hope that my research will therefore not only allow us to better understand amphibian distributions and likely impacts of climate change on this threatened group of animals, but will serve to guide studies of range limits in other species, ultimately extending our knowledge of this fundamental aspect of ecology of species. 

 

Marty Memorial Scholarship

For the 2012-2013 academic year, there are two recipients of the Marty Memorial Scholarship:  Nabiha Islam and Safiah Chowdhury.

Nabiha Islam (Dr. Med. in progress / B.Sc. Life Sciences)

Each year, more than 300,000 babies with a severe, inherited hemoglobin disorder are born worldwide (http://www.who.int/en/). Most of these babies will be born in low and middle income countries where their chances of survival and/or living a healthy life are slim to none. Research into the treatment and management of these diseases can change that. In particular, my proposed research will focus on establishing the clinical spectrum of disease severity in hemoglobin E (HbE) thalassemia patients in Bangladesh in order to develop an evidence-based and cost-effective approach to the management of this debilitating, often life-threatening disease.

Although hemoglobin disorders have a disability adjusted life year score (years lost due to ill-health, disability or early death) equivalent to that of malaria, these diseases are rarely included in the health priorities of governments or researchers. Governments, donors, and many international research networks continue to provide funding for work in infectious, but not inherited and/or chronic diseases. This is unfortunate since HbE thalassemia, of all the beta-thalassemia subtypes, imposes the most significant disability worldwide. The highest frequencies of HbE are observed throughout Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. Even in North America, it is the most common form of beta-thalassemia identified in newborn screening programs. 

The unique problem with HbE thalassemia is that it is characterized by often profound and marked clinical variability. The condition may present on a spectrum from mild, asymptomatic anemia to life-threatening anemia causing death in the first few years of life. The reasons for this extraordinary clinical heterogeneity are poorly understood. Longitudinal studies of affected children in Sri Lanka have also shown the instability of the disease, particularly over the first ten years of life. During this period, a variable and changing pattern of anemia has been observed, often associated with growth failure. Laboratory data (including blood/DNA tests) correlate poorly with the clinical picture. Thus, the deleterious effects of this disease are often exacerbated by treatment with no clear clinical indentation – for example, previous research in Sri Lanka, showed many children received ineffective and unnecessary transfusions over the course of their life (treatments instituted based on lab values alone) exposing them to life-threatening risks such as iron overload and infectious diseases like HIV and Hepatitis B. There is actually a large subset of HbE thalassemia patients that will never require transfusions – but to know exactly who does not need these transfusions requires clinical (not only laboratory) characterization of the diseases within diverse population. This has never before been attempted in Bangladesh.

So what role does research play in all of this? Clinical variability and inadequate longitudinal data present the main challenges in determining the optimal management of patients with HbE thalassemia. In other words, if we don’t know how an individual’s disease will progress over time we don’t really know how to treat it effectively, let alone cost-efficiency. The lack of a standardized, robust classification of disease is the major impairment to understanding the clinical spectrum of this disease.

Thus, my proposal research will attempt to establish such a classification through careful patient histories and physical exams (of at least 15 patient/day), and thus provide a framework for management of this disease. While we will also understand laboratory characterization of this disease, we know it can provide only partial answers. The real and time-consuming challenges lie in obtaining a clinical severity score for each patient in order to make sense of laboratory data. We will do this by measuring quality of life, growth rate, bone age, skeletal changes, and sexual maturation to subdivide patient into groups according to disease severity. The clinical severity score will then determine management ( for example, in Sri Lanka it was found that the highest scoring group required lifelong blood transfusions and medications to prevent iron overload while the other four groups did not). Like all clinical research, this is labour intensive and rarely supported by funding agencies or industry. However, as my supervisor Dr. Nancy Olivieri would say, “The answers to many problems in medicine lie within the ability to listen to the patient.”
SRI LANKA STUDY:  PREMAWARDHENA, A et al (2005). HEMOGLOBIN E βTHALASSEMIA IN SRI LANKA. LANCET, 366, 1467

 

Safiah Chowdhury (B.A.Hons. - Political Studies)

As the world increasingly diversifies, new questions regarding identity and citizenship have arisen. As the first country to institute an official policy of multiculturalism, Canada has always been a world leader in ‘diversity management’. Canadian scholars such as Queen’s University’s own Will Kymlicka have been at the forefront of promoting such models globally. Since September 11, 2001 however, the discourse has seen a significant shift. For many states the event of September 11, 2001 have led to questions of integration, recognition, and belonging. This is especially true for minority communities who have been pushed into the spotlight due to specific fears of non-integration and radicalization. While there have been a wide variety of responses between countries on how best to deal with the presence of large ethnic and religious communities, most states have applied old models to new questions. This has not always resulted in positive outcomes as the 2005 ‘race riots’ in France attest. Today, there is much misunderstanding between the state, societies, communities, and peoples that may result in antagonism or counterproductive state policies. What has been universally lacking from the discourse is the lived experiences of people and how this shapes identity and one’s relationship to society and the state. As I believe in the importance of such an approach, this void forms the crux of my study interest.

Instead of relying on traditional top-down models of integration, I believe a new model of imagining identity in the West is necessary. I believe that in order to best understand a community and their relationship to greater society, one ought to have a good grasp of how their identity is shaped and informed. As the post-9/11 world has focused largely on Muslim peoples, my focus also lies therein. State-centered models that focus on social programming and/or ‘official multiculturalism’ as a means of integration have been inadequate in their response to issues surrounding Muslim religiosity. This is evident through the increased problematization of Islamic practices such as veiling, which has a disproportionate effect on women. With its principle concern of culture, the multicultural model is unequipped to address matters relating to religious, racial, and ethnic diversity. This results in a debate that fundamentally centres upon the existence of visible religious and racial minorities in liberal democracies, which can result in a negative relationship between individuals and the state. One clear example of this is the July massacre in Norway, which was a violent response to Norwegian policies regarding Muslim citizens and immigrants. For these reasons, I believe a new and more applicable model is necessary.

In order to maximize its scope and applicability, this new model should incorporate lessons of Islamic texts, institutions, and history into questions of integration and belonging as they intimately shape the contemporary lives of Muslims. For example, many Muslims come to understand their allegiance to the state in the light of religious teachings that preach obedience to the laws of the land. This presents a means of promoting citizenship that is more effective than state-focused nationalist projects. Crucial and underrepresented approaches such as this will provide useful analyses on how Muslims come to conceive of themselves and thus relate to greater society. Due to the growing questions surrounding Muslim communities, I believe it is essential to analyze this area as a means of responding to questions about belonging, presence, and integration. By going to the very core of how one shapes their own identity and citizenship, greater understanding and co-operation can be effectively sought and facilitated.

While unconventional, I believe my proposed approach is critical. Given the rise of both xenophobia and alienation, traditional models that focus on state mechanism have proven inadequate in addressing problems associated with belonging and integration. This is especially true for Muslim peoples and communities, who are under heightened scrutiny. Through my revised approach to integration, I hope to ultimately foster greater understanding and inclusion in society.