Rio Tinto Scholarships for Diversity in Science at INRS
Our first recipients announced

The first recipients of the new Rio Tinto Scholarships for Diversity in Science at INRS have finally been announced. They are Caroline Flory-Célini, a doctoral student in urban studies under the direction of Professor Nathan McClintock, and Sophie Hastings Leiter, a doctoral student in earth sciences under the direction of Professor Pierre-Simon Ross. Both stood out for the quality of their work and their research into sustainable development issues. We extend our warmest congratulations to them.

Caroline Flory-Célini

“This scholarhip comes at just the right moment in my academic career, which is full of motivation but also sometimes full of doubts... It will give me the means to pursue my research more serenely on a subject that aims to promote living together.”
– Caroline Flory-Célini, doctoral student in urban studies

Sophie Hastings Leiter

“I am aware of my position as both a marginalized and privileged person in scientific spaces. I undertake to use this privilege to welcome and support others who do not feel traditionally welcome in the earth sciences.”
– Sophie Hastings, doctoral student in earth sciences

We asked them a few questions to help you discover their own atypical backgrounds, which illustrate the diversity of the student community at INRS.

 
Caroline Flory-Célini, doctoral student in urban studies
 
Sophie Hastings Leiter, doctoral student in earth sciences

 

The competition was managed by INRS’s Service des études supérieures et de la réussite étudiante (SESRE) team. It attracted a high volume of applications. Applications were reviewed by two committees made up of SESRE director Philippe-Edwin Bélanger, scholarship liaison officer Joanie Lavoie, and professors Jacob Stolle, Éric Déziel, Kulbir Kaur Ghuman, and Emanuele Orgiu, to whom we are grateful.

The Foundation warmly congratulates its two laureates and sincerely thanks all those who applied. We wish them every success in their future endeavours. We would also like to extend a very special thank you to all those who, in one way or another, contributed to the awarding of these scholarships, and especially to Rio Tinto Alcan for its generous support.

About the Rio Tinto Scholarships for Diversity in Science

The Rio Tinto Scholarships for Diversity in Science at INRS aim to promote the representation of a diverse range of students in the sciences. More specifically, they support women, sexual or gender minorities, people with disabilities, aboriginal people, people from racialized or ethnic minorities and neurodivergent people in the next generation of scientists trained at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) to tackle the various issues affecting the environment and sustainable development.

They are made possible by a generous commitment of $60,000 from Rio Tinto Alcan. As of this year, two $15,000 scholarships are available to enhance the circumstances of the recipients.

The scholarship is one of nine programs initiated by the Foundation to support the INRS student community. There’s still time to apply for our three winter scholarship competitions, which close on April 12.

INRS scholarship directory

Help support our students

Back to news list