Awards presented for the 2025 AVC Summer Research and Leadership Program
Students who participated in the University of Prince Edward Island’s Atlantic Veterinary College’s (AVC) Summer Research Leadership Program (SRLP) presented their posters to faculty, staff, and students on August 26th and 27th.
The SRLP is designed to introduce doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) students to career opportunities in research. Students work under the guidance of a faculty mentor, are supported by a graduate student mentor, and take part in supplemental group sessions. The program ends with a poster presentation and competition.
Winning first place in the poster competition was Yan-Ru Chen, Class of 2028, for her poster titled “Impact of Vaccination Temperature on Atlantic Salmon Resistance to Infectious Salmon Anemia Virus.” Chen was supervised by Dr. Mark Fast, and her graduate student mentor was Emily Pope. She received a $350 prize for her work.
Second place, with a $250 cash prize, was awarded to Brady Sweeney, Class of 2027, for his poster “The Fox-inating tale of Echinococcus Mutilocularis on Prince Edward Island.” Sweeney was supervised by Dr. Nina Germitsch, and his graduate student mentor was Laura Leaman.
Placing third, and receiving a $150 cash prize, was Michaela Green, Class of 2027, for her poster “Investigating the Seroprevalence of Equine Arteritis Virus Among Standardbred Racehorses on Prince Edward Island.” Green was supervised by Dr. Ben Stoughton, and her graduate student mentor was Dr. Ahsan Raquib.
“We had a total of 17 students take part, and I am so impressed,” said Dr. Laurie McDuffee, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Research. “Hopefully, their experience this summer inspires some students to consider future careers in research.”
In addition, SRLP participants Sabrina Valdes Ramos and Jon Klymchuk, both Class of 2028, were selected to present their research at the Canadian Emerging Veterinary Scholars Summit, taking place October 23–25, 2025, at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
Congratulations to all award recipients and to every student who contributed to this year’s program.
To see all of the posters in the competition, visit https://www.upei.ca/avc/dvm/summer-research-and-leadership-program/student-posters
