2024 Recipients

Karmvir Padda is a Ph.D. Candidate (ABD status) in the Sociology and Legal Studies department at the University of Waterloo. Her research focuses on online radicalization, extremism, and hate crime, with an emphasis on analyzing right-wing extremist manifestos. Her research has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the Joseph-Armand Bombardier CGS Doctoral Scholarship (SSHRC CGS-D) and the P.E.O. Sisterhood Scholar Award.

Karmvir has established a strong academic profile, publishing over 10 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters, and presenting at more than 30 international conferences. She has also been selected for prestigious programs, including the 2022 VOX-Pol Summer School at Swansea University and the 2024 Summer Institute in Computational Social Science at the University of Pennsylvania.

Driven by her experiences as a woman of colour and first-generation college student, Karmvir is committed to social justice and equity, producing inclusive and impactful research. She is honoured to receive this award from the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation and looks forward to continuing her contributions to meaningful research in her field.

Lysanne Desharnais is a fifth year PhD student in the Department of Human Genetics at McGill University. She first became interested in cancer research while completing her BSc in Translational and Molecular Medicine at the University of Ottawa. For her doctoral thesis, she is investigating how dietary patterns and obesity influence cancer immunotherapy efficacy. Throughout her graduate studies, she has contributed to various peer reviewed publications and is the recipient of several awards, including a CIHR Doctoral Research Award, and People’s Choice Award at the McGill Three-Minute Thesis Competition. Passionate about science communication and knowledge translation, one of Lysanne’s favourite parts of graduate school is presenting her research to diverse audiences, both at academic conferences and to the general public. She also enjoys creating educational and thought-provoking content that combats misinformation regarding different aspects of oncology.

Bianca received her Honours Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto in 2017. Presently, Bianca is a PhD candidate and Canadian Institutes of Health Research trainee at York University within the Clinical-Developmental Psychology and Clinical Neuropsychology programs. She previously received her MA in the same programs in 2019. Bianca is in the final year of her PhD while also completing her Psychology Residency at The Hospital for Sick Children. She will soon be commencing post-doctoral training and registration with the College of Psychologists of Ontario.

Through her research, Bianca is committed to advancing the understanding of early neurodevelopmental profiles in neurologically vulnerable children. Bianca believes in building collaborative partnerships, having been embedded at The Hospital for Sick Children and Breaking the Cycle for numerous years in various research, leadership, and clinical roles. At York University, Bianca has been a research scholar and leader within the Lillian Meighen Wright Maternal-Child Health Foundation and the LaMarsh Centre for Child and Youth Development. Clinically, Bianca has provided psychological assessment and intervention services to vulnerable pediatric populations across community mental health, early intervention, as well as tertiary care and rehabilitation hospital settings. Through the intersection of her research, leadership, and clinical advancements, Bianca hopes to make system-level change by informing policies around screening, prevention, and early intervention.