The Burrows Award for Womxn in Microbiology
Deadline Extended to: January 30th, 2026
About the Award
This award recognizes a womxn graduate student in microbiology who demonstrates both scientific excellence and commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in the microbiological and related sciences.
This award is possible because of support from Dr. Burrows, the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research at McMaster University and the Canadian Society of Microbiologists.
Value of the Award: $500 + Framed Certificate
Number of Awards: 1
Frequency of the Award: Annual
Eligibility (Level or Program of Study):
- be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, a person with protected/refugee status or an international student enrolled in a Canadian university at the time of application;
- be registered as a full-time student in a graduate program in microbiology or a related discipline working on microbiological problems;
- a member in good standing of the Canadian Society of Microbiologists; and
- be involved in activities that promote EDI in microbiological and related sciences
Application Contact: CSM Secretariat at info@csm-scm.org
The applicant can self nominate. The applicant selected to receive the award will be notified by email and the award will be presented at the CSM Annual Conference with a framed certificate and the cheque for $500. A short bio and photo of the award winner will be posted on the CSM Awards winners webpage and included in the CSM Annual Conference Program book.
Applications must be filled out using the online form below after registering for the CSM Annual Conference and should include:
- a curriculum vitae
- two letters of reference that support the student’s excellence in their chosen field and their involvement in activities promoting EDI in microbiological and related sciences
About Lori Burrows
Professor Lori Burrows is a microbiologist whose research interests include biofilm formation, antibiotic resistance, bacteriophages and ubiquitous bacterial adhesins called type IV pili (T4P). She holds a Tier I Canada Research Chair in Microbe-Surface Interactions, and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. She is Associate Director of McMaster University’s Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Diseases Research, a member of the Advisory Board for CIHR’s Institute for Infection and Immunity, and serves on the Editorial Boards of the Journal of Bacteriology and ACS Infectious Diseases. She was recognized in 2020 with the Canadian Society for Microbiologists’ (CSM) prestigious Murray Award for Career Achievement. In 2023 she received the John G. Fitzgerald Award from the Canadian Association for Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, and the Canadian Science Publishing Senior Investigator Award from the Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences. She is a advocate for women in STEM, and in 2020 created the CSM Burrows Award for Womxn in Microbiology, given annually to outstanding female microbiology trainees who advance the cause of equity, diversity, inclusion, and access.
Past Award Winners
Congratulations to all of our past award winners!
- 2025: Laura Schnell, University of Regina
- 2024: Rana Ahmed, University of Manitoba
- 2023: Ellen Sykes, University of Manitoba
- 2022: Laura Thompson, University of Guelph