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Dalhousie has announced its 2022 Belong Research Fellowships, the university's awards to enhance research excellence across the institution by ensuring the promotion of diverse perspectives. One of this year's winners is Schulich Law Professor Maria Dugas.

"Diversity strengthens the quality and impact of research at Dalhousie by bringing together a range of experiences and points of view," says Alice Aiken, vice president research and innovation at Dalhousie. "This award acts as a seed fund for promising new scholars to build their research output and create the body of work necessary to attract support from external funders."

Officially launched in November 2018, Belong Research Fellowships were established by the Offices of the Provost and Vice President Academic and Vice President Research and Innovation to support tenure-track faculty from equity-deserving groups to pursue small research projects of one to two years. Up to four fellowships of $5,000 are provided annually.

Dugas' research looks at addressing the overrepresentation of African Nova Scotians in the child welfare system. Despite representing about three per cent of the population, African Nova Scotians represent 10 per cent of child welfare cases. Adopting a critical race perspective that interrogates the law's role in perpetuating racial inequality and subordination, Dugas will explore the presence and effect of anti-Black racism in the child welfare system in Nova Scotia and assess promising solutions to help address these issues.

Visit Dal News to learn more about this year's winners.