St. Francis Xavier University researchers have earned Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s Discovery Grants program. Top row, from left, are Brendan Murphy, Robert van den Hoogen, and Celeste Cunningham. Bottom row, Jesse McNichol, Heather Penney, and Russell Wyeth. Photo by ContributedArticle contentSix researchers at St. Francis Xavier University have received funding through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s Discovery Grants program.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentMore than $1 million has been announced by Innovation, Science and Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, in research funding over the coming years, enabling St. F.X. researchers to advance knowledge in environmental science, biology, earth sciences, mathematics, and statistics while training the next generation of scientists.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentThree researchers also received Discovery Launch Supplement, providing an additional one-time award of $12,500 to help establish their research programs.Article content“This funding recognizes the exceptional quality and impact of research being conducted at St. F.X.,” Erin Morton, the university’s associate vice-president of research, graduate and professional studies, said in a news release.Article content“Our researchers are addressing critical questions ranging from climate change and ecosystem resilience to Earth’s evolution and the fundamental laws of physics. These grants will support discoveries that benefit both scientific understanding and society while providing invaluable research opportunities for students.”Article contentThe grant recipients are:Article contentArticle contentHeather Penney, Aquatic ResourcesArticle contentHeather Penney received $38,000 annually for five years for her project, Impacts of habitat loss and multiple stressors on the distribution and reproductive ecology of ribbed mussels. Penney also received a Discovery Launch Supplement. Her research investigates how climate change and salt marsh degradation affect ribbed mussels, a key ecosystem engineer in Atlantic Canada’s coastal marshes. By examining habitat loss, reproductive ecology, and future climate scenarios, the research will help inform conservation and restoration strategies for vulnerable coastal ecosystems.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentRussell Wyeth, Department of BiologyArticle contentRussell Wyeth received $48,000 annually for five years for Neuroethology of Chemical and Flow-based Navigation in Aquatic Gastropods. Wyeth’s research explores how aquatic snails and sea slugs navigate using chemical cues and changing water currents. By combining behavioural studies with neuroscience, his team aims to better understand how nervous systems process environmental information to guide movement, with implications for understanding navigation across the animal kingdom.Article contentArticle contentJesse McNichol, Department of BiologyArticle contentJesse McNichol received $38,000 annually for five years for Quantifying Resilience of Microbial Sulfur Detoxification to Water Column Overturning in a Coastal Euxinic Basin. He also received a Discovery Launch Supplement. His research focuses on microorganisms that naturally detoxify hydrogen sulfide in oxygen-depleted marine environments. As climate change increases the frequency of low-oxygen coastal waters, this work will improve understanding of microbial resilience and help predict the future health of Atlantic Canada’s coastal ecosystems.
St. F.X. researchers awarded more than $1 million in NSERC Discovery Grant funding
