Improving health outcomes and advancing social equity often extend beyond laboratories and policy documents, shaped by the priorities, knowledge and lived experience of communities themselves. At the University of Calgary, two 2025 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (Vanier CGS) recipients are working alongside underserved populations to ensure their research leads to tangible, lasting change.
Madison Fullerton and Sammy Andrea Sánchez Garavito, both PhD students at UCalgary, received one of Canada's most prestigious doctoral awards for research that addresses systemic barriers in health and land governance. Though their work spans medical science and anthropology, both scholars share a commitment to community-engaged research that centres accessibility, justice and inclusion.
The Vanier CGS, funded by the Government of Canada, recognizes doctoral students who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership and research potential. Valued at $150,000 over three years, the award supports Canadian and international students whose work contributes to social, cultural and economic well-being in Canada and beyond.
2025 marked the final competition under the current Vanier format before transitioning to a harmonized scholarship program.
Madison Fullerton: Expanding equitable access to cervical cancer screening
A third-year PhD student in Medical Sciences at the Cumming School of Medicine's Graduate Science Education program, Madison Fullerton, BKin'18, MSc'20, is advancing efforts to make cervical cancer screening more accessible for newcomer communities across Alberta. Supervised by Dr. Sandra Davidson, PhD, and Dr. Jia Hu, MD, Fullerton's research is embedded within the Alberta Cervix Self-Screening Pilot and focuses on HPV self-sampling, an approach that allows individuals to collect their own screening samples and helps reduce cultural, structural and systemic barriers to care.
Working in partnership with screening programs and community organizations, Fullerton assists in co-designing strategies that are culturally meaningful and community led. A central component of her work involves training Community Health Ambassadors, trusted community members who facilitate conversations about cervical cancer screening in participants' first languages and support individuals through the self-sampling process. This work has taken on increased urgency as recent national data shows a rise in cervical cancer cases across Canada.
Receiving the Vanier CGS came as a powerful affirmation of both her research and the partnerships behind it.
"As a grad student, every year you apply for scholarships and hope for the best, so finding out that I had been awarded Vanier was such an incredible surprise," she says. "Graduate studies can be challenging, and receiving this award felt deeply validating not just for the work I've done, but for the journey I'm on and the impact I hope to make."
A UCalgary alum who completed both her undergraduate and master's degrees at the university, Fullerton credits its interdisciplinary culture for shaping her approach. "I really appreciate how the university values and promotes interdisciplinary collaboration an environment that not only exposes me to different perspectives but also supports lasting partnerships and sustainable initiatives," she says.
As she looks ahead, Fullerton aims to continue collaborating across health systems and community organizations to scale culturally responsive screening strategies and contribute to sustainable, equity-driven health interventions.
Sammy Sánchez: Advocating for land justice in the Colombian Amazon
PhD candidate in Anthropology in the Faculty of Arts, Sammy Sánchez, MA'24, is examining how land concentration and environmental-conservation policies are reshaping livelihoods in the Colombian Amazon, resulting in disproportionate impacts on women, youth and children. Supervised by Dr. Ben McKay, PhD, her research uses feminist political ecology and political economy frameworks to investigate how large-scale cattle ranching, monocrop plantations and restrictive conservation measures limit access to land, resources and basic infrastructure.
Sánchez collaborates closely with communities in the Northwestern Colombian Amazon, documenting everyday experiences and supporting advocacy for more inclusive, equitable land and conservation policies. Her work aims to inform policymakers, NGOs and environmental organizations seeking to balance sustainability with social justice.
The Vanier CGS provides critical support for research that bridges scholarship and activism. "This achievement is a recognition of my trajectory as a scholar-activist in my home country, working with small farming communities and grassroots organizations," Sánchez says. "After many years of work, I finally feel that I have the support and funding to conduct my research and contribute to academic discussions in my field, with the peace of mind needed to write and advance agrarian studies."
Sánchez continues to combine academic research with activism to influence land management and conservation policy in the Colombian Amazon and beyond. Her work focuses on promoting inclusive, gender-sensitive approaches that strengthen community participation in decision-making and address long-standing social inequalities.
"My work is not only about studying social and environmental issues, but also about contributing to tangible, positive change in communities and advocating for policies that recognize equity and justice," she says. Supported by UCalgary's collaborative and globally oriented academic environment, Sánchez's research reflects a commitment to community partnerships and policy-informed change.
Supporting research with impact at UCalgary
Together, Fullerton and Sánchez exemplify the leadership, innovation and social commitment the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship is designed to support. Their research reflects UCalgary's strength in community-engaged scholarship and its impact across health, policy and global equity.
To learn more about our exceptional scholars and awards, visit the Exceptional Scholars web page.
Dr. Jia Hu, MD, is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences and a member of the O'Brien Institute for Public Health at the Cumming School of Medicine.
