For more than 50 years, the Royal Canadian Geographical Society has contributed to growing geographical understanding of Canada – its people, places, culture, environment and economic challenges – by funding research to broaden Canadians’ knowledge and appreciation of Canada.
As one of the oldest organizations in Canada funding geographical research, our research grants and scholarships have enabled students to pursue their passion for geography, sometimes leading to ground-breaking results. This much-needed support has also helped launch the careers of Canada’s brightest minds in geography.
This year, we awarded six scholars reflecting a range of disciplines and geographical reach. Their work highlights the importance of applying geographical methods and technologies, to better understand our landscapes, environment, and sustainable human interaction.
GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS
CIARA NORTON
Pursuing a Masters of Science at the University of British Columbia
“Heatwave-driven Arctic landslides expose ground-ice and risk triggering long-term thaw slumps”
Rapid warming in the Arctic has accelerated rates of permafrost degradation, decreasing slope stability in ice-rich permafrost landscapes. In 2023, regions across Northwest Canada experienced the hottest summer on record. During this heatwave, temperatures approximately 5 degrees Celsius warmer than the 30 year average triggered over 700 active layer detachment landslides on Qikiqtaruk – Herschel Island. Using high-resolution RGB drone imagery captured in June-August 2023-2025 and 3D modes generated using structure-from-motion, we are quantifying the magnitude and rates of permafrost thaw and determining the drivers of slump development. Understanding how landslides in permafrost landscapes are initiated and evolve as the climate warms is crucial to quantifying carbon release and predicting the ecological and global impacts of permafrost thaw.
ILIANA LOUPESSIS
Pursuing a Doctorate in Digital Transformation and Innovation at the University of Ottawa
“Unsettling and re-learning participation: Toward sovereignty-centered collaboration and digital innovation for Indigenous climate resilience”
Examining how participatory approaches to digital climate adaptation in Canada can move beyond procedural inclusion toward genuine redistribution of power and Indigenous self-determination. The project investigates the socio-spatial dynamics through which digital climate tools are co-created with Indigenous communities, focusing on how place, territory, governance and epistemic authority shape participatory processes. The study is conducted in partnership with Wiikwemkoong First Nation and Sagamok First Nation, two Aishinaabe communities in south-central Ontario near the Great Lakes region.
LILI PARADI
Pursuing a Doctorate in Physical Geography at Queen’s University
“Assessing landscape change across Labrador’s dynamic coastline to protect culturally significant species”
Rapid climate warming is driving ecological change, with peatland permafrost ecosystems among the most affected. Along the Labrador coast in Canada, these peatlands support culturally significant species including bakeapple and tuttuk, which are important components of Inuit and Innu food systems as well as cultural connections to the land. The consequences of uneven patterns of permafrost thaw across the entirety of the Labrador coastline are understudied within remote sensing and geographic research in Canada. This research will examine how peatland thaw is associated with vegetation distribution across coastal Labrador.
MONICA NGUYEN
Pursuing a Masters of Science in Geography at Memorial University
“Post-fire vegetation recovery in the Atlantic Boreal Forest under novel fire activity”
Climate change is enabling novel fire regimes globally, characterized by longer fire seasons, increased fire frequency and high severity burns. Yet, there are few predictions on how these changes influence Atlantic Canadian boreal forests, where fire has historically been rare due to the coastal maritime climate. By surveying vegetation across five burn sites in Newfoundland, Canada, using transects adjacent to linear features, this research examines how fire severity and proximity to anthropogenic features as non-native seed sources, such as roads and recreational trails, shape post-fire plant assembly.
SARAH WHITENECT
Pursuing a Masters of Science in Geography at Memorial University
“Investigating landscape predictors of past eastern spruce budworm outbreaks in Newfoundland”
Eastern spruce budworm (ESB) is recognized as a critical insect for Eastern Canadian boreal forest function due to its large distribution and role in tree regeneration through consumption of tree foliage. Due to climate change and large-scale forest management practices, ESB outbreaks are changing in terms of their spatial and temporal distributions, severity, and duration. This research will see the collection of tree cores and forest stand characteristics data from ten ESB-monitoring sites maintained by Parks Canada and the Canadian Forest Service (CFS) at varying elevations across Gros Morne National Park.
JAMES BOURQUE NORTHERN DOCTORAL SCHOLARSHIP
MYRIAM CLOUTIER
Pursuing a PhD in Forest and Conservation Science at the University of British Columbia
“Impact of permafrost degradation on warming tundra landscapes”
Permafrost soils are degrading due to rising temperatures across the Arctic. The thawing of permafrost is reshaping northern landscapes through ground subsidence, altered hydrology and changing vegetation dynamics. Understanding these processes at landscape scales is critical given the high spatial heterogeneity of tundra landscapes. Integrating drone and satellite data with field measurements can allow us to understand how permafrost degradation is reshaping vegetation patterns across landscapes. A comparative analysis of remote sensing tools’ efficacy and limitations will be conducted.
JAMES MAXWELL HUMAN GEOGRAPHY SCHOLARSHIP
LOUISE GILLEARD
Pursuing a Masters of Arts in Geography at the University of Ottawa
“Maritime resupply and food security in a changing Arctic”
Food security in Nunavut continues to be disproportionately high compared to the rest of Canada. Climate induced sea ice loss in Nunavut waters is creating challenges for Inuit harvesting and for maritime resupply operations. Communities have limited road access and are highly reliant on these maritime resupply networks. The project aims to combine economic and spatial analysis with locally led participatory food costing surveys. This data will inform a model linking climate induced sea ice change with maritime resupply networks and consumer prices. The research will provide insights for reducing consumer prices and strengthening community resupply networks.
