Student Awards
Student Research Awards:
The SCO-SOC administers 4 student research awards:
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Applicants must be SCO-SOC members to be eligible (Note: Membership is based on the calendar year so will expire on December 31st of the year in which you register, while registration after October 1st will be valid through December 31st of the following year. Multi-year memberships will be treated similarly, expiring on December 31st of the last year for which you register.)
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A single application can be made to apply for the Tarverner, Baillie, and Cooke research awards. Download the application form (including instructions) for the 2023 awards.
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Download the terms of reference for the Student Discovery Award and application form (including instructions) for the 2023 award
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Application deadline is 1 March 2023
Applications for student research and discovery awards should be emailed to:
Dr. Danielle Ethier
Chair, SCO-SOC Student Awards Committee;
Birds Canada
E-mail: dethier@birdscanada.org
TAVERNER AWARDS
Taverner Awards are offered by the SCO-SOC to honour Percy A. Taverner and to further his accomplishments in increasing the knowledge of Canadian birds through research, conservation, and public education. The awards are aimed at people with limited or no access to major funding, regardless of professional status, who are undertaking ornithological work in Canada. Two awards of up to $2,000 each are made annually.
JAMES L. BAILLIE AWARD
The James L. Baillie Student Research Award is open to any student conducting ornithological research at a Canadian university. It honours the memory of James L. Baillie and shall be for research that is consistent with the objectives of the James L. Baillie Memorial Fund. These are to support: studies of Canadian birds in their natural environment; projects which contribute to preservation of birds; and projects which disseminate knowledge of birds. The James L. Baillie Student Research Award is funded by Long Point Bird Observatory / Bird Studies Canada from proceeds of the Baillie Birdathon, and is administered by the SCO-SOC. One award of up to $2000 is made annually.
FRED COOKE AWARD
The Fred Cooke Student Award is offered jointly by the SCO-SOC and Bird Studies Canada to honour the contributions of Professor Fred Cooke to Canadian ornithology by supporting ornithological conference travel or research activities by a student at a Canadian university. The award shall be open to any student conducting ornithological research at a Canadian university, except that previous recipients of the award shall not be eligible. The award shall be for travel to ornithological conferences at which the student will make an oral or poster presentation, or research in any aspect of ornithology anywhere in the world. One award of up to $1000 is made annually.
STUDENT DISCOVERY AWARD
The SCO-SOC is committed to removing barriers and promoting diversity and inclusion within the ornithology community in Canada. The Student Discovery Award is offered to students who self-identify as being from equity-denied groups, including but not limited to: visible minorities (e.g., Black, Indigenous, and/or members of other racialized groups), minority sexual orientations or gender identities (e.g., 2SLGBTQIA+), and individuals with disabilities. You do not need to disclose which equity-seeking group(s) you belong to during the application, but you are welcome to do so if you wish. Awards may be used for professional development, conference travel or research. Download the terms of reference for the Student Discovery Award and application form (including instructions). Due 1 March 2023.
Student Presentation Awards:
STUDENT PRESENTATION AWARDS
Student Presentation Awards are awarded each year at our annual conference for outstanding oral and poster presentations. To be considered for these awards, student presenters must be current members of SCO-SOC and conducting research on any topic in ornithology. Students wishing to be considered for presentations awards should indicate their interest when they submit their abstracts for the conference scientific sessions. Click here for information about this year’s annual conference.
Presentation Award categories are outstanding oral presentation by a graduate student (2 awards), outstanding poster presentation by a graduate student (2 awards), and outstanding presentation (oral or poster) by an undergraduate student (1 award). Each prize is an honorarium of $300 (CND). Students competing for presentation awards should be presenting complete works, not proposals.
Presentation Award categories are outstanding oral presentation by a graduate student (2 awards), outstanding poster presentation by a graduate student (2 awards), and outstanding presentation (oral or poster) by an undergraduate student (1 award). Each prize is an honorarium of $300 (CND). Students competing for presentation awards should be presenting complete works, not proposals.
PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS
Taverner Awards
2023 - Sarah Mueller and Taylor Brown
2022 - Sarah Dobney and Camille Rondeau Saint-Jean
2021 - Kiirsti Owen and Ryan Leys
2020 - Sereena Moore and Hayley Wilson
2019 - Brandon Edwards and Andrew Cook
2018 - Andrew Beauchamp and Sonya Pastran
2017 - Amélie Roberto-Charron and Devin de Zwaan
2016 - Brad Woodworth and Nikole Freeman
2015 - Tosha Kelly and Joel Slade
2014 - Laura Schoenle and Krista Roessingh
2013 - Rachael Derybshire and David Toews
2012 - Elizabeth Gow and Magali Petit
2011 - Vanya Rohwer and Ryan Germain
2010 - Greg Mitchell and Ann McKellar
2009 - Morgan Gilmour and Melanie Guigueno
2008 - Lori Parker and Celia Chui
2007 - Justin Rasmussen and Megan Sellick
2006 - Jennifer Foote and Sarah Jamieson
James L. Baillie
2023 - Alyssa Eby
2022 -Andrew Thomas Beauchamp
2021 - Elora Graham
2020 - Matthew Fuirst
2019 - Libby Natola
2018 - Alex Sutton
2017 - Shannon Whelan
2016 - Haley Kenyon
2015 - Anjolene Hunt
2014 - Jesse Pakkala
2013 - Adrianna Bruni
2012 - Stephanie LaZerte
2011 - Kira Delmore
2010 - Kyle Elliott
2009 - David Swan
2008 - Robert DeCaire
2007 - Heather Major
2006 - Neil Goodenough
Fred Cooke Award
2023 - Karen Ong
2022 - Brandon Edwards
2021 - Don-Jean Léandri-Breton
2020 - Alyssa Eby
2019 - Evelein de Greef
2018 - Samantha Krause
2017 - Leanne Grieves
2016 - Alana Demko
2015 - Sarah Gutowsky
2014 - Jean-Nicolas Audet
2013 - Laure Cauchard
2012 - Vanya Rohwer
2011 - Raphael Lavoie
2010 - Marie Burle
2009 - Calandra Stanley
2008 - Roslyn Dakin
2007 - Nicole Barker
2006 - Stephanie Topp
Discovery Award
2023 - Rebecca Jardine