Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland

The Fisheries and Marine Institute (MI) of Memorial University hosted its Winter Scholarship ceremony on the afternoon of April 4. During the ceremony, 52 scholarships, awards and bursaries were granted to students.

Vice President’s Fry Family Foundation Excellence in Leadership Award

Third-year Nautical Science student, Andre Simões Ré, is this year’s recipient of the Vice President’s Fry Family Foundation Excellence in Leadership Award.

This award recognizes a student in their final year of study who has demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities in their academic work, professional placements and community involvement.

“Everyone has always said I’m a leader. I just do what needs to be done and try to help everyone. Why not try to help people around you to make them better?” said Mr. Simões Ré.

Wherever his career takes him, he is excited about the prospect of being on the water and experiencing something new every day.

“I like variety, whether you’re diving down to the Titanic, installing wind farms or picking up different machinery—things that help the industry go on.”

At this year’s ceremony, Mr. Simões Ré is also the recipient of the Marine Institute Student Unions’ Scholarship and one of six recipients of the Ocean Ranger Memorial Award.

Duke Marine Award

Galina Zhuravlyova, a third-year Marine Engineering Systems Design (MESD) student, is the first recipient of the Duke Marine Award.

It was created in 2022 and is granted to a student beyond their first year of study in either the Marine Engineering Systems Design or Naval Architecture programs.

“The abundance of scholarships and awards for Marine Institute students also allows these programs to be much more accessible, thanks to the generosity of all donors,” said Ms. Zhuravlyova.

Her favourite part of the program has been how collaborative her classmates are despite an abundance of individual work assignments.

Ms. Zhuravlyova graduate with a Diploma of Technology in June, and already has a job lined up.

“I will be moving to Montreal to work for a company contracted to conduct research on behalf of the Canadian Navy. This will allow me to utilize what I have learned from both my biology and MESD background.”

Miller Graduate Scholarship

Master of Science student, Alannah Wudrick, is the first recipient of the Dr. Hugh Miller Graduate Scholarship.

It is awarded annually to a full-time graduate student beyond their first semester of study in a research-based program, upon the recommendation of the MI Scholarship Committee. Ms. Wudrick is currently in her second year of the Masters of Fisheries Science and Technology program.

The program requires students to complete 12 credit hours plus a thesis. “My master thesis involves creating Ecopath models for the Newfoundland and Labrador region, so it melds both of my strengths in quantitative biology and ecology,” she said.

Although her thesis is mostly computer-based, Ms. Wudrick spent two weeks onboard the Patrick and William while taking part in the Marine Conservation Area (MCA) monitoring project led by MI and Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). “It was my first time on a science vessel at sea, and I had wanted to go on one for years, so it was a really cool experience."

Other new awards

In addition to the Duke Marine Award and the Miller Graduate Scholar, the ceremony saw the introduction of two other new awards: the Duke Marine Scholarship and The Ross and Irene Durnford Memorial Scholarship.

The Duke Marine Scholarship was developed in 2022 to celebrate the company’s expansion into Newfoundland and Labrador. It will be awarded annually to a full-time Canadian student beyond their first year of study in either the Naval Architecture or Marine Engineering Systems Design programs.

The Ross and Irene Durnford Memorial Scholarship was created by Ed Durnford, an instructor in the School of Fisheries at MI, in 2022 in memory of his siblings, Ross and Irene. The scholarship will be awarded by the MI Scholarship Committee to two students enrolled in the Advanced Diploma in Food Safety program.