USask Arts and Science faculty recognized for research, scholarly, artistic impact on communities

The research, scholarly and artistic work completed by Arts and Science faculty has a significant impact beyond the walls of the University of Saskatchewan (USask).

Four College of Arts and Science faculty, including an interdisciplinary research team, are being presented with awards on Wednesday recognizing their outstanding research, scholarly and artistic work (RSAW).

From informing national decisions on pesticides, to remembering lives lost during the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers were presented with the following awards for their work: Distinguished Scholar Award, New Scholar Award, and Publicly Engaged Scholar Team Award.

These awards were presented while recognizing the work and achievements of faculty and staff at the Arts and Science Celebration 2025 on April 30.

Christy Morrissey

Distinguished Scholar Award 

As an internationally renowned researcher in avian ecotoxicology and conservation, biology professor Dr. Christy Morrissey (PhD) is the recipient of the Distinguished Scholar Award for her significant contributions to her field and beyond.

“I am delighted and honored to receive this Distinguished Scholar Award,” Morrissey said. “I think it is a chance to reflect on my accomplishments from the past 15 years since I came to (USask). I have been fortunate to work with some great students, postdocs, and colleagues that collectively have made a significant impact on enhancing agricultural sustainability and biodiversity conservation.”

Morrissey started at USask as an associate faculty member in the Department of Biology and the School of Environment and Sustainability. In 2015, she was promoted to associate professor and to professor in 2019.

Her work investigating the impact of pesticides on the environment has informed Canadian and international governments. This led to a proposed ban on neonicotinoids and other pest control products.

Throughout her career, Morrissey has received more than $15.5 million as a researcher from organizations including the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the Shyluk Foundation, Mitacs, Ducks Unlimited, Molson Foundation, and provincial organizations such as SK Agricultural Development Fund, and Mistawisis First Nation.

In 2020, Morrissey was inducted into the Royal Society College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. Shortly after starting at USask, Morrisey was nominated by the Department of Biology for the 2012-13 Provost’s Outstanding New Teacher Award.

Her research has also been featured in the documentary, The Messenger, as well as on The Nature of Things with David Suzuki, CBC’s Quirks and Quarks, and CBC’s The National. Her writing regularly appears in The Guardian, The New York Times, Science Daily, WIRED, and National Geographic.

Cheryl Troupe

New Scholar Award

Métis researcher and mentor Dr. Cheryl Troupe (PhD) has contributed significant work to the history and culture of Métis people in Canada. Troupe, an assistant professor in the Department of History, is receiving the New Scholar Award on Wednesday.

Troupe received the Order of Gabriel Dumont Gold Medal this year, one of Métis Nation’s highest honours. The award represents Troupe’s dedicated work as a community builder, accomplished researcher, scholar, advocate and champion for Métis history, culture and stories.

Since joining the Department of History in 2018, and earning her PhD in 2019, Troupe’s research has explored and shared Métis and women’s history. Troupe has completed a monograph, Putting Down Roots, as well as an edited book, Métis Matriarchs, and written four peer-reviewed articles.

Troupe has curated exhibits at the Western Development Museum, Remai Modern Art Gallery, Batoche National Historic Site, and Walking With Our Sisters—an internationally recognized installation that honours and remembers Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

She is also the director of the Centre for Community Engaged and Collaborative Historical Research at USask and works in the Historical Geographic Information Systems Laboratory on campus.

“It's an honour to receive this recognition. I approach my research with a deep sense of responsibility and care for my community, and to have it acknowledged this way is both humbling and profoundly meaningful,” Troupe said. “I am grateful to my nominators and to my colleagues in the College of Arts and Science for recognizing my work.”

Jim Clifford, Erika Dyck and Nazeem Muhajarine

Publicly Engaged Scholar Team Award

A USask interdisciplinary research team looked to document the COVID-19 pandemic through data and stories.

Department of History faculty members Drs. Jim Clifford (PhD) and Erika Dyck (PhD) worked with distinguished researcher and epidemiologist Dr. Nazeem Muhajarine, of the College of Medicine, to create The Remember/Rebuild Saskatchewan project. The three researchers are receiving the Publicly Engaged Scholar Team Award.

An outcome of this project was the digital memorial, Remember Lives Not Numbers. The project captured the lives of the people who died due to COVID-19, and put faces to the statistics of the people and families impacted by the virus. Clifford recalled one of the most powerful parts of the project was hearing from family members who visited and appreciated the digital memorial.

The project was a unique approach to community-based research that was recognized by the Royal Society of Canada in the 2023 report, Humanities and Health Policy. The inter-disciplinary research project forged bonds between academia and community organizations including, Saskatoon Fire Department, Food Banks, Salvation Army, Prairie Harm Reduction, Friendship Centres, Saskatoon Inter-Agency Response Team, as well as organizations across the province.

The project included contributions from USask faculty and researchers in VIDO, College of Nursing, College of Medicine, Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit (SPHERU) and the Department of History. University Library staff members Craig Harkema, Tim Hutchinson and John Yobb helped create and will maintain the digital infrastructure for the archive.

The team shared a statement in response to receiving the scholarly team award from the College of Arts and Science.

“This award is a nice recognition of a truly interdisciplinary, community-engaged project that connected us with new partners and created new friendships,” they wrote.

“During an unprecedented time of isolation, this project was a welcome reminder of how so many people in our community find creative ways to support one another, and we had the privilege of documenting some of the strategies of care that often remain invisible.”

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