2025 O'Brien Fellows

(see previous years recipients)

Emma Connell

Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology - University of New Brunswick

After completing her undergraduate degree in psychology at UNB, Fredericton, Emma’s interest in health-related research was peaked. Specifically, she became interested in how physical activity can impact mental health as well as other outcomes. She further honed her research interests after working at Ability NB, where a desire to see better disability representation in research emerged. From there, she began her graduate studies at UNB, Saint John where she focused her research on the association between physical activity and mental health in people with a spinal cord injury.

Now, while completing my PhD in experimental psychology at UNB, Fredericton, she has continued to pursue this line of investigation as well as expanding my research into different populations, such as individuals with multiple sclerosis, and other physical disabilities. Outside of academics, spending time with friends and loved ones and fostering a sense of community is a priority, as is spending time with her dog, Webber.

Geneviève Gauthier

Master of Science in Biology – Université Sainte-Anne

Having always had a passion for nature, Geneviève began developing an interest in ornithology during her undergraduate studies by taking part in bird-banding workshops. She began her research journey in her final year by studying the spatial and temporal genetic structuring of nests of female hooded mergansers nesting in colonies in Kouchibouguac National Park. She will present and later publish the results of this work.

In recognition of her dedication to her studies, she received the Governor General’s Academic Medal at graduation.

Now pursuing a Master of Science in Biology at Université Sainte-Anne, Geneviève continues to study this population, focusing on the causes and consequences of nest-site fidelity in hooded mergansers. More specifically, she seeks to understand which factors, such as reproductive success, individual characteristics, and intraspecific interactions determine whether an individual will return to nest in the same location from one year to the next, and whether this decision affects future reproduction. To do so, she monitors hooded merganser nests on islands during the breeding season and uses a combination of video data and capture-mark-recapture methods to identify which individuals return and which nests belong to them. With her results, she hopes to improve understanding of this little-studied species and inform conservation decisions for sea ducks.

In her free time, she enjoys walking in nature to observe and photograph birds, drawing, and sewing. 

Ninh Khuong

Ph.D. in Epidemiology (Pharmacoepidemiology) – McGill University

Ninh Khuong completed a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Biochemistry from Mount Allison University and a Master of Science in Pharmacology from Dalhousie University. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Epidemiology at McGill University, specializing in pharmacoepidemiology. Her research uses large-scale real-world data to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of medications. Her doctoral project explores whether antidiabetic medications can be repurposed to treat Parkinson’s disease. The goal of this project is to expand therapeutic options for aging populations in New Brunswick and across Canada. Through her PhD training, Ninh aims to conduct research that improve evidence-based prescribing, inform health policy, and advance health equity.

Beyond her academic work, Ninh has led national outreach initiatives to improve access to health information among underserved communities. Working with the Canadian Medication Appropriateness and Deprescribing Network, she led a project translating medication safety resources into ten minority languages to improve accessibility for linguistic minority communities across Canada. She is also co-developing a re-prescribing postcard with patient partners and healthcare professionals to support medication safety conversations in New Brunswick.

Ninh was awarded the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship and the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé for her research and leadership. She is committed to conducting research that fosters inclusive and innovative healthcare solutions that meet the diverse needs of Canada’s aging population.” Ninh thanks the foundation for this wonderful opportunity. The fellowship will support her in pursuing research that gives back to New Brunswick. 

Allyson Lamont

Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, University of New Brunswick

Allyson (she/her) is a third-year student in the Clinical Psychology, PhD, program at the University of New Brunswick (UNB). She graduated from UNB Saint John with a Bachelor of Science in Biology-Psychology (Honours in Psychology) in 2021 and completed her Master’s in Psychology in 2022. Broadly, her research interests are in the social determinants of mental health. Her doctoral dissertation will examine how food insecurity and other social determinants of health relate to mental health and the use of mental health services.

Allyson also works as a Graduate Research Assistant with the Housing, Mobilization, Engagement, and Resiliency Lab (HOME-RL) at UNB Saint John. Her research with HOME-RL has focused on the links between housing and health inequities.

When she is not at school, Allyson can usually be found at a local coffee shop or spending time with her dog, Pebbles. 

Marie-Pier Mazerolle

Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology – Université de Moncton

Marie-Pier is currently completing her first year of the Doctorate in clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) program at the Université de Moncton, aspiring to one day pursue a career as a clinical psychologist. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the same institution. Her research explores the role of individual factors in the production of facial expressions in the context of deception. Specifically, she is interested in how intelligence and personality traits influence the manipulation of emotional facial expressions.

During her bachelor’s degree, Marie-Pier received an undergraduate research scholarship on three separate occasions, working in the Social Cognition Laboratory in the areas of facial expressions, emotional development, and reading motivation among youth. She was awarded the Governor General’s Academic Medal (Silver) at the end of her undergraduate studies, as well as the Université de Moncton’s Blue and Gold Order of Merit.

Marie-Pier currently holds a doctoral scholarship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and is a lecturer at the School of Psychology. She also plays governance and advocacy roles as a member of the Board of Directors of the Mood Disorders Society of Canada and as an executive member of the student section of the CPA. 

Naaman M. Omar

Ph.D. in Biology, University of New Brunswick

Naaman Omar is a PhD student in Biology at the University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, under the supervision of Drs. Christopher Wong and Myriam Barbeau. His research focuses on the microbial diversity and physiology of microalgae on New Brunswick’s vast intertidal mudflats. He uses a combination of remote sensing, molecular techniques, and field-based measurements to explore how these microbial communities contribute to ecosystem productivity and carbon cycling.

Naaman is originally from Mombasa, Kenya, and completed a BSc in Biology (Hons.) in 2020 and a MSc in Chemistry in 2022, both at Mount Allison University. His MSc research was conducted under the supervision of Dr. Douglas Campbell and focused on microalgal photobiology. His scientific interests lie in marine and coastal microbial physiology, specifically in understanding how microbes shape ecosystem processes and contribute to climate change mitigation.

Outside of his academic work, he enjoys hiking and photography, and hope to one day hike Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya. 

Amy Michelle Thomson

Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies, University of New Brunswick

Amy is a first-year PhD student in Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, with a focus in kinesiology. Her passion for health research began during her undergraduate honours studies at UNB and led her to complete a CIHR-funded Masters of Science in Kinesiology examining a community-based intervention for older adults living with type 2 diabetes and frailty.

Her doctoral research explores how factors like disease duration, exercise intensity, myokines, and gut microbiota influence the effectiveness of exercise interventions in individuals with type 2 diabetes. By understanding why individuals respond differently to physical activity, she hopes to inform more effective, personalized, and accessible lifestyle interventions for those living with chronic conditions.

Long-term, Amy hopes to pursue a career at the intersection of clinical care and rehabilitation research, working to improve quality of life for people with chronic illness through sustainable, patient-centred approaches.

Outside of her research, Amy is involved in student mentorship, community-based exercise programs, and STEM outreach. She enjoys reading, hiking, travelling, exploring New Brunswick with friends, and spending time with her cat. She is honoured and grateful to receive support from the O’Brien Foundation. 

Kendra Wasson

Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology – University of Waterloo

Kendra is a PhD candidate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Waterloo. She is deeply committed to both research and clinical practice. Her research focuses on clarifying the process of sexual communication to pinpoint where communication breakdowns occur and to inform tailored interventions that promote safety and enjoyment in intimate relationships. Recognizing that poor sexual communication has notable negative impacts on relationships, her work aims to provide actionable strategies to individuals and therapists to improve relationship functioning. Clinically, Kendra has completed placements in private and hospital settings, providing care in women’s health, oncology, and trauma in first responders, using a range of therapeutic modalities. She looks forward to returning to the East Coast to begin her career as a scientist-practitioner in a healthcare setting. 

Jackson Weir

Ph.D. in Biology and Biomedical Sciences - Harvard University

Jackson Weir was born and raised in Saint John before he moved to Fredericton for his Bachelor of Science at the University of New Brunswick. Jackson spent most of his time at UNB doing research and organizing science communication initiatives around campus. In the lab, he worked with Tony Reiman and René Malenfant to identify new candidate targets for blood cancer immunotherapy. Outside of the lab, Jackson helped run TEDxUNB and the Atlantic Student Research Journal. After graduating in 2021, he began his PhD in Biological and Biomedical Sciences at Harvard University in Fei Chen’s lab. Jackson co-invented Slide-tags, a novel technology which enables single-cell spatial profiling of tissues. He now leverages cutting-edge sequencing techniques to study how tissues become dysregulated in the context of cancer and how we might re-wire multicellular circuits to treat disease. Looking forward, Jackson is interested in building generative AI models to design tissue engineering therapeutics for treatment-resistant tumors. 

Cailum Stienstra

Ph.D. in Chemistry, University of Waterloo

Cailum is a third-year Chemistry PhD student at the University of Waterloo, currently living in Vancouver as a visiting student at UBC and interning with the drug discovery company Enveda. His research sits at the intersection of chemistry and computer science, using machine learning to identify unknown molecules through spectroscopy. He focuses on human metabolites—of which only ~10% are known—and natural products, plant-derived compounds with pharmaceutical potential.

Born in Winnipeg and raised in Fredericton, Cailum’s passion for science and understanding the world began with the Let’s Talk Science Challenge at UNB and summer camps in St. Andrew’s. He moved to Ontario to study Chemistry at the University of Waterloo, where his co-op experiences ranged from steel production at NRCan and quantum computing at the Institute for Quantum Computing, to developing cancer therapeutics using radioactive isotopes at TRIUMF.

He returned to Waterloo for graduate school under UNB alumnus W. Scott Hopkins, with whom he had previously worked on Velocity Map Imaging spectroscopy. Hopkins’ pandemic-era ML startup inspired Cailum to combine his love of spectroscopy with artificial intelligence. Outside the lab, he enjoys cycling, hiking, salsa/bachata dancing, collecting vinyl, and sharing his love of baking and cooking.