The New Brunswick Innovation Foundation has named the province’s top research mentors for 2020, supporting their work with almost $165,000 in prize money.

NBIF had planned to announce the awards as part of its Top 25 Star Mentors luncheon at the biennial R3 event, which was cancelled this month due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“New Brunswick is home to extraordinary researchers who are dedicating their time and energy to mentoring the next generation of research professionals,” said Laura Richard, Director of Research at NBIF. “They play a vital role in supporting the innovation agenda here in New Brunswick and are essential to developing and commercializing new technologies.”

Last fall, NBIF asked New Brunswick universities, colleges, and research institutions for nominations of researchers who have supported the development of students and trainees in research. Now it has announced the three winners of Mentor of the Year prizes, and their cash awards:

  • Star Mentor of the Year, University ($70,000) was awarded to Kenneth Kent, a professor in the Faculty of Computer Science at the University of New Brunswick.
  • Star Mentor of the Year, Institution ($50,000) was awarded to Benjamin de Jourdan, a research scientist at the Huntsman Marine Science Centre in St. Andrews.
  • Star Mentor of the Year, Runner-Up ($40,000) was awarded to Stephen Westcott, a professor in chemistry and biochemistry at Mount Allison University.

Grants awarded to Star Mentors must be used to directly support the training and development of student researchers, including student stipends, salaries, research material costs, and travel expenses.

In addition to the Star Mentor awards, three Mitacs Honourable Mention prizes worth $1,500 were awarded to:

  • Rémy Rochette, Biological Sciences Professor, University of New Brunswick Saint John;
  • Michelle Robichaud, Instructor, New Brunswick Community College, Saint John;
  • And Mathieu Bélanger, Professor, Centre de formation medical du N.-B./Université de Sherbrooke.

“These researchers are dedicated to the pursuit of new knowledge and to providing meaningful support to their mentees,” said Richard. “At NBIF, we are pleased to acknowledge their contribution and to provide financial support to their students.”

 

Disclosure: NBIF is a client of Entrevestor.