Congratualtions to the 2026 ACUNS Scholarship Recipients

The winners of the 2026 ACUNS awards have been announced. As ever, selecting the succesful candidates was hard, and congratualations to the very worthy recipients of tihs years' prizes.

These awards play an important role in developing a cadre of scholars and scientists with northern experience, and also serve to enhance the educational opportunities available to northern residents.

For over fifty years, ACUNS has been advancing the knowledge and understanding of Northern Canada by making awards to exceptional students through the Canadian Northern Studies Trust (CNST). We are as grateful to the donors whose ongoing generosity make these awards possible as we are proud of the hundreds of recipients who are the lifeblood of the programme.

Our awards are:

• CNST Scholarship, funded by ACUNS

• Dr. Weston Blake Jr. Memorial Doctoral Scholarship, funded by the Blake family

• Kay and Peter McGeer Scholarship, funded by the McGeer family

• Jim McDonald Scholarship for Northern Research, funded by ACUNS

• The Gunther Abrahamson Caribou Research and Management Award, funded by the Beverly and Qamanirjuaq Caribou Management Board (BQCMB) and awarded biennially

The 2026 awardees are:

Rachel Lackey, McGill University: Dr. Weston Blake Jr. Memorial Doctoral Scholarship,  2026

Rachel Lackey is a PhD candidate at McGill University in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. Her research focuses on improving our understanding of groundwater in regions with permafrost, including understanding how groundwater systems will evolve with climate change. Through collaboration with community, territorial, and academic partners, Rachel has implemented a unique community-based northern groundwater monitoring network.

Claudia Haas, Wilfred Laurier University: CNST Scholarship 2026

Claudia Haas is a PhD Candidate with Wilfrid Laurier University in the WILD Lab. Her research supports the conservation of northern wildlife in the face of accelerated climate change. Claudia aims to asses the potential of multi-species monitoring, while informing inclusive and meaningful decision-making for northern Indigenous peoples. Towards that end, she has been working closely with the community Łutsel K’e Dene First Nations in developing my research.

Stephen Bathory, University of Calgary: Dr. Jim McDonald Scholarship for Northern Research 2026

Stephen Bathory is a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) candidate at the University of Calgary whose research examines Indigenous Treaty Organizations established through modern treaties and the ways they navigate competing mandates and priorities in practice. Situated within management and organizational studies, this project investigates how the legal obligations and organizational mandates established through modern treaties shape the design and operation of Indigenous Treaty Organizations (ITOs).

Amy Klepetar, University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC): The Kay and Peter McGeer Scholarship 2026

Amy Klepetar is a doctoral candidate in the School of Health Sciences at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC). Her research is the first study into human health and air quality in the small communities of Kitimat and Kitamaat Village, BC. These communities neighbour two of the largest industrial investments in Canada: an aluminum smelter, which began operations in the 1950s, and a natural gas liquification plant, which started operations in 2025.