Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s Undergraduate Student Research Award
Ashlyn Kernaghan (BSc in Water Sciences) was a successful recipient of the highly competitive Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s Undergraduate Student Research Award (NSERC - USRA) for her second year in a row. This grant will help fund Ashlyn’s ongoing projects started in the summer of 2021.
During Ashlyn’s third year, she was interested in completing a fourth-year undergraduate thesis project focusing on contaminants within aquatic ecosystems. She met with Dr Huy Dang, an Environmental Chemist at Trent University and discussed potential research opportunities. After this exciting meeting, Ashlyn became a part of Dr Dang’s research group, ENIGMA at Trent. She set off on her journey to complete a fourth-year undergraduate thesis and enrolled in the Environmental & Life Sciences Graduate Accelerated Masters program. This program is a new Graduate studies model at Trent University set up for students who demonstrate academic excellence in their undergraduate studies and allows them to obtain a research-based MSc within a shorter time frame.
Ashlyn’s main research topics involve studying the bioaccumulation and transport mechanisms of rare earth elements in natural freshwater ecosystems. After receiving her first NSERC-
USRA research grant in summer 2021, Ashlyn began investigating the impacts of rare earth elements in a stormwater pond in Markham, Ontario, which had been treated with a rare earth element based coagulant used in restoration initiatives to reduce eutrophication. She also conducted mesocosm experiments to simulate the real-world exposure of rare earth elements to aquatic organisms.
Ashlyn began her graduate studies in 2022 and is continuing to analyze and treat her samples from the previous summer. She hopes to continue increasing her knowledge regarding the impacts of rare earth elements on the environment and strengthen her analytical skills for future career endeavours.