Four U of S students awarded prestigious Vanier Scholarships

It is a great achievement for these four exceptional students to be chosen as Vanier Scholars,” said Karen Chad, U of S vice-president research. “We are very proud of these students who have demonstrated the leadership skills and research accomplishments to become tomorrow’s leaders.”

With $150,000 awarded to each student over three years, the Vanier Scholarship is a competitive federal program that recognizes top-tier doctoral students who demonstrate excellence in academia, research impact and leadership at Canadian universities.

The four 2018 U of S Vanier Scholars are:

Health sciences PhD student and radiology resident doctor Scott Adams will investigate whether a robotic ultrasound clinic is a feasible solution to improving access to medical imaging in Northern Saskatchewan Indigenous communities.

Using video conferencing software, sonographers in Saskatoon can control an ultrasound probe and a robotic arm placed in a Northern community clinic. Images can then be remotely interpreted by radiologists.

This promises to provide patients with comparable and faster access, diagnosis and treatment by not having to transfer patients long distances for medical assessments. The healthcare system could save millions of dollars over time.

“I am honoured to receive the Vanier Scholarship, and I look forward to continuing on a clinical research path which is responsive to Canada’s needs and priorities in healthcare,” said Dr. Adams, who is supervised by U of S researchers Dr. Paul Babyn and Dr. Ivar Mendez.