Shayla Jackson (MSc 24) is a part of an elite group of PhD candidates who have received NSERC Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships.
The Vanier Scholarships are one of the largest and most prestigious competitive scholarships that a PhD student in Canada can receive. It is valued at $50,000 per year for up to three years.
Shayla graduated from The University of Winnipeg Master of Science Program in BioScience, Technology and Public Policy. While completing her master’s, Shayla was under the guidance of Dr. Susan Lingle, a Professor in the Biology Department at the Richardson College for the Environment and Science Complex.
Dr. Susan Lingle was one of the only people who pushed me.
Shayla Jackson
“Susan Lingle is the reason why I went to Winnipeg,” said Shayla. After working with Dr. Lingle, Shayla cannot sing her praises enough. “In my life, Susan was one of the only people who pushed me,” said Shayla. “I am already a high achieving person, but Susan helped bring out my best and encouraged me to take it a step further.”
Shayla has always had an interest animals. At UWinnipeg, she studied the diet of coyotes living in Grassland National Park in Saskatchewan. The focus was how much cattle coyotes consumed and the behaviours of coyotes when in proximity to cattle.
As Shayla works toward her PhD at the University of Guelph, she will continue to study predators and prey in Ontario and on Fogo Island, Newfoundland. Shayla says across North America, there has been a huge loss of predators like wolves and grizzly bears. This is largely due to human expansion. This loss has allowed smaller predators like coyotes, foxes, and skunks to move into that niche.
“The concern with these smaller predators, is that because they are able to reach higher densities than the larger predators, they can have a greater negative impact on prey, including species at risk,” said Shayla.
Shayla’s PhD will be under the guidance of Dr. Quinn Webber. By coincidence Dr. Webber is also a UWinnipeg alum and obtained a Vanier in 2016 for his PhD work.
Shayla would like to complete her PhD and become a professor with her own lab. She would also like to work for a government arm where she can take direct action with the research. “That is the dream,” said Shayla.
“I am incredibly grateful, honoured and humbled by this award,” said Shayla. “I think a lot of academics starting in their careers look at scholarships like a job. It’s paperwork that we must do. And then you get one!”
