Congratulations to Dr. Trevor Hamilton, associate professor in the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Science, who is the recipient of MacEwan’s 2024 Dr. Sherrill Brown Distinguished Research Award.
Each year, the Dr. Sherrill Brown Distinguished Research Award recognizes one faculty member who conducts exceptional scholarly work that has demonstrated significant contributions to society and the scholarly community – locally, nationally or internationally.
“We're proud to recognize Dr. Hamilton with this research award for his many career contributions to multiple research areas, most notably studying fish to understand human health," says Dr. Craig Monk, provost and vice-president, Academic.
“Dr. Hamilton engages and guides students in research – something not always available to curious students in an undergraduate setting. He has a strong desire to expose students to the deep learning that comes with cutting-edge research, significantly elevating their educational experiences.”
Dr. Hamilton is an adjunct at the Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute at the University of Alberta and a visiting scholar at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego. He received his PhD in neuroscience from the University of Alberta and a Bachelor of Science in psychology from McGill University. He teaches a variety of courses including applied neuropharmacology, and brain and behaviour.
Dr. Hamilton actively researches a variety of topics both in MacEwan’s zebrafish laboratory and in collaboration with other institutes. At the zebrafish laboratory, he heavily involves students in his research, supervising honours and independent study students examining the effect of elevated carbon dioxide on zebrafish movement, memory and anxiety. His research program, which has garnered significant external funding, also includes establishing novel and reliable tests of learning and memory in fish, namely the novel object recognition test and episodic-like memory tests. He is also interested in the effect of pharmacological substances on fish behaviour and has worked with students to examine patterns of drug administration and the nature of addiction.
Dr. Hamilton will receive a Distinguished Research Award as part of the university’s Spring Convocation ceremonies on June 18 at 2:30 p.m.