The School of Population and Public Health is proud to celebrate student award recipients whose academic excellence, research achievements and leadership are making a difference in public health. This story features just a few of the many students we will be recognizing in a series of posts highlighting this year’s award winners at SPPH.
Congratulations to all!
George R. F. Elliot Fellowship
Emma Cameron (PhD)
Emma Stirling-Cameron (she/her) is a PhD Candidate and Killam Fellow in the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia. Emma’s program of research is focused on advancing reproductive justice for marginalized women, including refugee and asylum-seeking populations across Canada, the United States, Latin America, and the EU. Her dissertation work examines the impact that the criminalization of migration (e.g., militarized borders, immigration detention, deterrence-based immigration policy) is having on the sexual and reproductive health of asylum-seeking women in the Mexico-US border region.
The George R. F. Elliot Fellowship is endowed by the B.C. Medical Services Foundation. The Fellowship is awarded to the student with the best proposal for a project or thesis within the broad rubric of community health.
Murray Stratton Memorial Scholarship
Laura Cunningham (MSc)
Laura is an MSc student in Population and Public Health at SPPH, where she is affiliated with the Global Health Research Group. Her thesis research focuses on respiratory health and occupational disease, particularly tuberculosis and silicosis among workers in Malawi. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, she examines barriers to accessing occupational health services and opportunities to strengthen health systems through collaborative, policy-relevant global health research.
The Murray Stratton Memorial Scholarship was established by his friends and associates, in memory of Murray Stratton, who was, at the time of his death, Program Director for Health with the Canadian Council on Social Development. The scholarship is awarded based on academic excellence as demonstrated through coursework.
Hy and Le Schechter Scholarships
Kira Gerein (MPH)
Kira (she/her) is a recent graduate of the Master of Public Health (MPH) program and will begin medical school this fall. During her time at SPPH, she served as an MPH Student Facilitator and teaching assistant, competed on the winning national team in the Canadian Evaluation Society case competition, and rowed with the UBC novice rowing team. She has contributed to research on climate change and health at the Global Institute for Water Security and H5N1 translational research at the BC Centre for Disease Control. Her interests include environmental health, women’s health, and primary care.
The Hy and Lee Schechter Scholarships were endowed in honour of Hy and Lee Schechter for students entering the final year of graduate studies who combine academic excellence with contributions to the University and to improvements in health in communities.
Hy and Le Schechter Scholarships
Alison Head (MPH)
Alison is a second-year MPH student who is passionate about maternal-child health and health equity, with professional interests in epidemiology, biostatistics, and health promotion. Throughout her time at UBC, she has enjoyed helping to create a welcoming and supportive community by mentoring fellow students, organizing a weekly run group, and planning opportunities for graduate students across campus to connect through movement, social activities, and wellness initiatives. Alongside her community involvement, she has contributed to research on pregnancy and motor vehicle crashes, and is completing a practicum with the BC Cancer Registry. She is grateful for the support of SPPH faculty, staff, and the many friends she’s made over the past two years, and looks forward to applying the knowledge and skills gained in the MPH program to improve the health and wellbeing of communities.
The Hy and Lee Schechter Scholarships were endowed in honour of Hy and Lee Schechter for students entering the final year of graduate studies who combine academic excellence with contributions to the University and to improvements in health in communities.
Hy and Le Schechter Scholarships
Iris Kwon (MPH)
Iris is a second year MPH student with an interest in youth mental health and the integration of mental health and substance use services into primary care. Her interest stems from several experiences including her role as a wellness centre peer during undergrad and as a medical assistant in Toronto. Her favourite part of the MPH program has been learning from perspectives that differ from her own.
She is currently doing her practicum with Foundry’s Substance Use Health Pod. After her Masters, she is hoping to continue work in youth mental health through community-based qualitative research or program evaluation.
The Hy and Lee Schechter Scholarships were endowed in honour of Hy and Lee Schechter for students entering the final year of graduate studies who combine academic excellence with contributions to the University and to improvements in health in communities.
John M.S. Lecky Foundation Masters of Health Science Award
Eric Mereniuk (MHSc)
Dr. Eric Mereniuk completed his medical school and residency in Internal Medicine and General Internal Medicine at the Université de Montréal (Montréal, Qc). He completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Obstetric Internal Medicine at BC Women’s Hospital (Vancouver, BC). His interests include thromboembolic disease in pregnancy, medically complex obstetric care and medical education.
The John M. S. Lecky Foundation Masters of Health Science Award recognizes students in the Masters of Health Science program who have achieved a minimum percentage of 72% and are the best qualified.
Hy and Le Schechter Scholarships
Arnima Singh (MSc)
Arnima Singh (she/her) is a Master of Science student in the School of Population and Public Health at UBC and a trainee with the Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) under the supervision of Dr. Martin Guhn. Her thesis investigates the barriers BPOC families face in accessing primary health care in BC, using a longitudinal dataset of over 100,000 records to explore connections between early childhood development, health outcomes, and systemic inequities.
Her interest in equity-focused research began with a community project on the Jericho Lands, where she advocated for park access for East Side children and witnessed how segregation in urban design can shape health trajectories. Arnima’s work has been recognized through the Canada Graduate Scholarship, the BPOC Excellence Award, the Michael Smith Fellowship, and the Syd Vernon Award.
The Hy and Lee Schechter Scholarships were endowed in honour of Hy and Lee Schechter for students entering the final year of graduate studies who combine academic excellence with contributions to the University and to improvements in health in communities.