Stfx Students Look Forward To Summer Of Research Thanks To Acenet Research Fellowships
April 20th, 2015
Three StFX students are looking forward to making an impact in research and gaining valuable hands-on experience in their academic field as recipients of an ACEnet Research Fellowship, each valued at $5,000.
Thomas Faour, Cole Grbavac, and Siobhan Morris have each received an ACEnet Research Fellowship, offered to students at ACEnet member institutions. The awards are designed to further research projects that utilize ACEnet’s advanced research computing resources.
“Having this opportunity means so much to me,” says Thomas Faour, a second year physics student from St. John’s, NL who will work with physics professor Dr. Peter Poole and Dr. Shah Razul using computer software to try and better understand protein folding. “Being given the chance to spend a summer doing the things that interest me most is a real treat. I’m really looking forward to a good summer of research.”
Cole Grbavac of Calgary, AB, is a third year honours business student majoring in accounting, with a minor in economics. He will be examining the evolution of poverty and societal polarization. “I feel very fortunate to receive the opportunity to work with ACEnet and Dr. Teng Wah Leo (in economics). It will be a great learning experience that isn’t offered in my undergraduate degree and I look forward to making an impact with our research.”
Third year honours physics student Siobhan Morris of Halifax, NS will be working with physics professor Dr. Peter Poole over the summer, using simulated systems to study the mechanisms by which water nucleates. “For such a ubiquitous compound, we still know surprisingly little about it, so hopefully I’ll be able to formulate a thesis around that framework,” she says.
“Being able to work once again within my faculty as a research assistant is really quite invaluable,” she says. “This fellowship provides me with the opportunity to continue exploring one facet of academia that most students don’t see during their undergraduate degree. In addition, this type of position opens many doors in pursuing graduate and post-graduate studies.”