Student Research Award Recipients

The Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia is committed to supporting research in dementia by offering annual awards to PhD/postdoctoral, graduate and undergraduate students. Read about award recipients from recent years and watch students' videos about their dementia research projects. We hope learning about these students inspires hope about the future of dementia research and care in Nova Scotia.

Recent Award Recipients

Select a year from the dropdown menu below to see recipients, read their bios, and watch their project videos.

2026 Recipients

2026 Fred & Mary Walsh Research Award - Erin McKenzie

Erin McKenzie is in the final year of the Master of Social Work program at Dalhousie University. After finishing 2 years of coursework and internships, she embarked on an additional year to complete a Master’s thesis combining her research interests in dementia and end-of-life care. Under the supervision of Dr. Raluca Bejan, she completed a thematic analysis of blogs written by people living with dementia to gain insight on what constitutes a meaningful and ‘good’ death from their perspectives. Furthermore, her study examined how stigmatizing cultural narratives surrounding dementia shape the ways in which those recently diagnosed imagine their possible futures. Erin defended her thesis in March and graduates in June 2026. In the future, she hopes to continue working with people living with dementia in a social work role, supporting them in processing the diagnosis, planning for the future, and finding meaning throughout their illness journeys.

 

2026 Phyllis Horton Student Research Award - Nicholas Leech

Nick Leech is a Master of Architecture student who recently completed his thesis, Continuity Within Contraction, supervised by Dr Susan Fitzgerald. His research explores how the lived experiences of individuals with dementia can inform the design of dementia care environments that adapt to the progressive nature of the condition while supporting dignity, autonomy, and meaningful daily life. Drawing on interests in sensory experience, and community-centered care, his work examines how architecture can encourage connection, familiarity, and wellbeing for aging populations. Nick Leech is passionate about the role thoughtful design can play in improving quality of life for those living with dementia and believes there is a continued need for research and innovation in dementia care environments. He hopes to continue exploring how architecture and care can intersect to create meaningful, supportive spaces for vulnerable communities.

 

2026 Abe Leventhal Trainee Award - Jacqueline Wojciechowski

Jacqueline Wojciechowski is a graduate student in the Master of Arts in Leisure Studies program at Dalhousie University, where she is beginning her thesis research under the supervision of Dr. Karen Gallant and Dr. Austin Oswald. Her research, Facilitating Everyday Moments of Leisure in Long-Term Care, explores how training long-term care staff to support small, meaningful moments of engagement may improve the wellbeing of people living with dementia and those who care for them. Jacqueline’s passion for dementia care was shaped through her internship at McCormick Care Group, where she built meaningful relationships with individuals living with dementia and their care partners. She is particularly interested in how everyday moments of connection can support dignity, belonging, and quality of life. Jacqueline hopes to pursue a career in research and education, collaborating with communities to advance person-centred and evidence-informed approaches to dementia care and community wellbeing.

2025 Recipients

2025 Fred & Mary Walsh Research Award - Opeyemi Adeyi

Dissertation - Understanding Positive Caregiving Experiences Among Family Caregivers of People Living with Dementia in Nova Scotia

Opeyemi Adeyi is a PhD student in Nursing at Dalhousie University under the supervision of Dr. Lori Weeks and Dr. Elaine Moody. Her research focuses on understanding positive caregiving experiences among family caregivers of people living with dementia. As a primary caregiver to her father, who experienced a massive stroke and dementia at age 63, Opeyemi developed a deep appreciation for the role of family caregivers. Drawing from personal experience and professional work in long-term care, she is committed to influencing dementia care practice and policy and promoting quality caregiving.

 

2025 Phyllis Horton Student Research Award - Lucy Eum

Thesis - Exploring the Intersectionality of Sex, Frailty, Neuropathology, Antidepressant Use, and Alzheimer’s Disease: a Scoping Review and Secondary Data Analysis

Lucy Eum was awarded as a third year internal medicine resident at Dalhousie University. Her interactions with older adults and their loved ones through the dementia journey shaped her interest in dementia and aging. She chose to participate in the Clinician Investigator Program in the midst of her residency for two years for professional development. As part of this program, she was supervised by Dr. Melissa K Andrew and Dr. Shanna Trenaman for her Master’s program thesis on antidepressant use and dementia in older adults. She intend to apply to geriatrics for fellowship training.

2025 Abe Leventhal Trainee Award - Sydney MacNinch

Thesis - Dementia Moves: Testing the Effect of a Rehabilitation Program for Long-Term Care Residents with Moderate to Severe Dementia on Activities of Daily Living, Falls and Adverse Events: A Pilot Study

Sydney MacNinch was awarded during her first year at Dalhousie University completing her Masters of Science in Combined Rehabilitation Research-Physiotherapy, supervised by Dr. Caitlin McArthur. Her study focuses on providing a clinically applicable exercise program for long-term care residents living with dementia to improve their physical function and activities of daily living. Sydney’s interests in providing physical rehabilitative care for individuals with dementia started while working in long-term care as a Physiotherapy Assistant. After completing her education, she hopes to practice as a Physiotherapist and continuing to further rehabilitative research for older adults and those living with dementia.

2024 Recipients

2024 Phyllis Horton Graduate Student Research Award - Gabrielle Hanson

Thesis - Evaluating the contributions of cholinergic, inflammatory, and pathological changes in basal forebrain and brainstem nuclei related to the sleep-wake cycle in neurodegenerative disorders

Gabrielle was awarded as a graduate student studying Medical Neuroscience at Dalhousie University. Supervised by Dr Sultan Darvesh, she researched the underlying causes of sleep problems in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body dementia, and multiple sclerosis. Her research is driven by both a deep-seated passion and personal resolve. Both of her great grandparents lived with dementia, which instilled within her an unwavering commitment to understanding and addressing these conditions. Through her work, she is dedicated to making meaningful contributions to the field, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life for those affected by neurodegenerative disorders.

2024 Abe Leventhal Trainee Award - Alexandria Delaney

Thesis - Getting prepared to care: Understanding the needs of caregivers in Nova Scotia

Alexandria Delaney was awarded as a graduate student in the MA Sociology program at Acadia University. Her thesis, supervised by Dr Rebecca Casey, examined the needs of family and friend caregivers in Nova Scotia, including their access to financial, health, and social support. By gaining a deeper understanding of these dynamics, she aims to contribute to the development of policies and support services that will better address the needs of both caregivers and individuals living with dementia. Alexandria began PhD studies in Sociology at the University of Manitoba in September 2024.

2024 Abe Leventhal Undergraduate Student Research Award - Rachel Lewis

Thesis - The association between communication impairment and receipt of physiotherapy and occupational therapy for long-term care residents with dementia: a cross sectional study

Rachel Lewis was award as an Honour student in the BSc Medical Sciences program at Dalhousie University. Working and volunteering with long-term care residents living with dementia and a family connection led Rachel to pursue her passion for helping people with dementia through research. Her research, supervised by Dr Caitlin McArthur, examined the association between communication impairments and receipt of physiotherapy and occupational therapy in long-term care residents with dementia. Rachel was accepted to Dalhousie Medical School and began training in September 2024.

2023 Recipients

2023 Phyllis Horton Graduate Student Research Award - Felicia Tembo

Thesis - Navigating caregiving of people with dementia in rural Nova Scotia: How can technology help?

Felicia Tembo was awarded as a Master of Arts in Sociology student at Acadia University in 2023. She conducted research on the intersection of technology, gerontology and healthcare under the supervision of Dr. Rebecca Casey. Her thesis research focused on exploring the experiences of caregivers of people with dementia and the role of technology in alleviating the challenges they face. She hopes to contribute to the development of evidence-based practices that improve healthcare outcomes and quality of life for individuals, families, and communities, particularly those affected by dementia. 

2023 Abe Leventhal Undergraduate Student Research Award - Ethan Hume

Project - Humanizing responses to early onset dementia

Ethan Hume completed his BA in Sociology and Psychology at StFX University and was a research assistant with the Spatialized Care Lab under Dr. Katie Aubrecht. His course project focused on the services provided to people with dementia and explored options to best support people and families that experience dementia. He identified a lack of recognition of the humanity of the person with dementia and supports that would humanize the experience and early onset dementia journey for individuals and families. Ethan is pursuing his MA in Sociology at Western University. He intends to expand his knowledge of sociological perspectives while exploring how societal and individual relationships with land and animals illustrate disconnections from self and peers. 

2023 Abe Leventhal Undergraduate Student Research Award - Amy Meister

Project - Supporting primary care providers working with people with dementia: Understanding existing tools and their implementation: A scoping review

Amy Meister completed her nursing degree from Dalhousie in 2023. She since started her nursing career in mental health and long-term care in the beautiful Annapolis Valley. She has a passion for working with older adults which inspired her to become involved in Dr. Elaine Moody’s research team where she gained valuable experience in research related to older adults. Her project was a scoping review focused on implementing dementia-care interventions in primary care. This research outlined how primary care clinics can successfully implement interventions to improve the quality of life of people living with dementia in the community.

2022 Recipients

2022 Phyllis Horton Research Award - Niousha Alizadehsaravi

Thesis - Barriers and facilitators to receiving appropriate nutrition in long-term care residents with moderate to severe dementia

Niousha is a registered dietitian who has completed her the Master of Science in Rehabilitation Research program at Dalhousie with thesis supervisor Dr. Caitlin McArthur. For her thesis, she observed and interviewed residents who have dementia about their food and eating practices, and learned about challenges that they face. She hopes that her research will empower residents and caregivers to vocalize their personal experiences and contribute to improving the quality of care for Canadians living with dementia. She is now pursuing PhD studies at the University of Waterloo.

2022 Abe Leventhal Research Award - Genesis Hebert

Thesis - Experiences of Latino caregivers caring for a family member with dementia using a critical race approach

Genesis Hebert was awarded while pursuing her MA in Family Studies and Gerontology at Mount Saint Vincent University. She is originally from Edmundston, NB and has maternal roots in Acapulco, Mexico. Having previously worked in long-term care and home care, she has dedicated her education to gerontology. Her thesis examined the dementia caregiving experiences of those in Hispanic communities, under the supervision of Dr Janice Keefe.

2021 Recipients

2021 Phyllis Horton Student Research Award - Jasmine Mah

Thesis - Social vulnerability, frailty and home care utilization in community dwelling older adults

Dr. Jasmine Mah was awarded as a PhD student in Medical Research at Dalhousie University. Her research, supervised by Dr. Melissa Andrew, used epidemiology and statistics to better understand how social vulnerability and frailty influence health outcomes, use of healthcare resources, and the transition to long-term care. Dr. Mah has since completed her PhD and is a physician and researcher in geriatric medicine in Halifax. She has stayed strongly engaged with ASNS through committee work and presenting at education events. She firmly believes in equipping others with the knowledge and skills to succeed in advocating for their needs.

2021 Abe Leventhal Student Research Award - Rosanne Burke

Thesis - Can directly-funded care programs be helpful for the care of persons with dementia? A policy comparison in three Canadian jurisdictions

Rosanne Burke was awarded as a Master of Family Studies and Gerontology student at Mount Saint Vincent University. Her research, supervised by Dr. Janice Keefe, focused on directly-funded care programs. Directly-funded care programs are a type of flexible home care program that provides funding to arrange one’s own home care services. Rosanne's research compared 3 directly-funded programs in 3 provinces to understand if the programs were helpful for persons with dementia and if they negatively impacted caregivers in any way. Rosanne completed her Masters degree and prior to her retirement, worked as the first-ever Manager of Advocacy at the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia.