UCalgary Graduate Students Honored with Prestigious CIHR Strategic Master’s Awards

Three University of Calgary graduate students have won the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Strategic Master’s Award, a brand-new recognition for 2024.

The award is given to those in recognized master’s programs whose research involves pandemic preparedness and health emergencies, genetics, gender or Indigenous Peoples’ health.

The funds awarded, up to $17,500 per graduate student, will provide financial support that allows them to fully focus on their research. The UCalgary students were among 15 recognized, and all three are hopeful the award will make it possible for them to start something truly special in their health research.

Janine Nel, Kinesiology master’s student

Janine Nel, BSc’21, is working on her Master of Science in Kinesiology. Her research studies the impact of physical activity on brain health and how exercise could affect one’s chances of developing dementia.

Nel works under the supervision of Dr. Cindy Barha, PhD, in the Barha Lab and is investigating how exercise guidelines can be tailored to individuals. She says this research will be particularly important for women and racial and ethnic minority groups, as traditionally research like this has revolved mostly around Caucasian men.

“Our research benefits those most vulnerable to cognitive decline, including women and individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, who face an elevated risk for developing dementia,” Nel says. “By developing personalized exercise guidelines, our goal is to provide these individuals with effective strategies to maintain their cognitive health as they age.

“Ultimately, this research aims to improve their quality of life and provide meaningful, long-lasting benefits to both individuals and their families.”

Nel says she hopes to make a big impact with the award and disseminate her findings nationally through published papers for the research community. “This award … recognizes the dedication and care I’ve invested in my academic career and local community and highlights the importance of the research we’re conducting,” she says. “Beyond that, it’s about the opportunity to make a real difference in people’s lives.

“This support will enable me to explore how we can promote cognitive health in more-accessible ways and develop strategies to disseminate our findings so they can reach and benefit those who need them most. I’m committed to using this opportunity to advance research that can lead to meaningful, positive change.”

Shayla Claringbold, Community Health Sciences master’s student

Shayla Claringbold is an Igulungmiuk and Cree-Métis master’s student in the Department of Community Health Sciences, specializing in population public health. Her research studies stigma as a social determinant of sexual and reproductive health in Canadian Inuit communities. 

“Inuit communities are uniquely northern, they are remote, they’re isolated and so social forces within these communities might exert a greater impact on individuals when compared to a city environment,” says Claringbold.

She will be interviewing public-health workers across Inuit Nunangat (the Inuit homeland across northern Canada) to figure out where stigma is coming from, how it is experienced and how systems can adapt to reduce stigma.

“In smaller communities, it’s a one-stop shop for all the services, so whether it’s abortion services or gender-affirming care or getting tested for sexually transmitted blood-borne infections, a lot of the times it’s the same team that will be helping you,” says Claringbold. “If people can avoid shame by not going into the clinic at all then maybe they are not accessing those services.”

The award will allow her to commit herself fully to her research. “For me, it was validating because it makes me feel like what I’m studying is not only worth my own time, but also it means something to the broader research community,” says Claringbold. “So, it feels like the intention I put behind the subject and my approach and my choice was recognized.”

Aliza Jaffer, Medical Sciences master’s student

Aliza Jaffer, BHSc’23, is a master’s student in the Medical Sciences program, specializing in medical imaging, and was also the second-place and people’s choice winner of the 2024 Three Minute Thesis Competition. 

She is part of the Developmental Neuroimaging Lab at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, conducting research under the supervision of Dr. Catherine Lebel, PhD, and working closely with Dr. Kathryn Manning, PhD. Her research studies brain function in infants whose mothers experienced anxiety and/or depression during pregnancy. Jaffer analyzes child-brain MRI scans to see how changes in the brain can translate to behaviours across the first three years of life and hopes her research can make a difference for families and possibly even contribute to health-care policy.

“I believe the greatest impact of my research will be on children and their families since my project aims to identify factors that may reduce potential consequences of maternal mental health challenges on child-health outcomes,” says Jaffer. “I think these findings are also valuable for policymakers, health-care professionals and researchers, as they can guide the development of effective intervention strategies to address concerns regarding early childhood development.”

Jaffer says she is excited by the opportunities the award could open up for her.

“It felt incredibly gratifying to be recognized for the dedication I have shown to my research at the University of Calgary over the past few years. I am deeply grateful for the acknowledgement and the opportunity it provides to advance my work,” she says.

Awards and scholarships are pivotal to UCalgary graduate students’ academic journeys,” says Dr. Tara Beattie, PhD, dean and vice-provost (Graduate Studies). “Having awards, such as this one, available to support these scholars in concentrating on their research is invaluable.

“This announcement is a well-deserved recognition of the progressive work of these amazing students in their efforts to respond to societal challenges and provide dynamic solutions to further impact our community in years to come.”