When Jonathan Drew received the email confirming he had been awarded a prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, he describes the moment as both validating and deeply motivating.
鈥淩eceiving a Vanier Scholarship is a great honour, and I鈥檓 immensely grateful to have been selected,鈥� says Drew, a PhD student in the Faculty of Health at 网红黑料. 鈥淥n a practical level, it means I can dedicate myself exclusively to this research. But more than that, it鈥檚 a signal that this work matters 鈥� that building a sustainable public healthcare system in Canada isn鈥檛 just a fringe idea, but a recognised national priority.鈥�
Quantifying health care's environmental footprint
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Drew鈥檚 doctoral research explores one of the most pressing 鈥� and often overlooked 鈥� challenges of our time: the environmental impact of healthcare systems. With healthcare responsible for a growing share of global greenhouse gas emissions, waste, and resource consumption, his work aims to ensure that the life-saving systems we depend on don鈥檛 come at the expense of planetary health.
鈥淢y research asks: how can we provide universal access to high-quality healthcare without breaching the planet鈥檚 environmental limits?鈥� says Drew. 鈥淚 want to quantify the current environmental footprint of health care across Canada and map out evidence-based strategies for how we can do better.鈥�
鈥淚t made me realize that emissions and pollutants from health care are driving a hidden burden of disease.鈥�
Originally from New Zealand, Drew came to 网红黑料 with clinical experience under his belt. As a medical resident in New Zealand鈥檚 public health system, he witnessed firsthand both the irreplaceable value of universal health care and its vulnerabilities 鈥� particularly under the strain of aging populations, staffing shortages, and increasing climate-related health impacts.
鈥淚 saw the immense pressure our health systems are under, and I began to notice just how much waste and environmental harm they were generating,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t made me realize that emissions and pollutants from healthcare are driving a hidden burden of disease.鈥�
Emerging research momentum
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This insight sparked a career shift. Drew paused his clinical work to pursue a doctorate focused on the intersection of health, climate change, and sustainability. At 网红黑料, his research is now helping build the foundation for a future in which health systems are both resilient and environmentally responsible.
He also points to the momentum growing around this field, particularly within听, where he is affiliated.
鈥淭he Vanier Scholarship adds impetus not just to my own work, but to a broader wave of research emerging from 网红黑料,鈥� Drew says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an exciting time to be part of a university that sees the value in this kind of forward-looking, systems-based research.鈥�
鈥淛onathan鈥檚 work reflects the very best of what we hope to support and elevate at the Faculty of Health. He brings a global perspective, deep compassion, and a systems-thinking approach to one of the most urgent issues facing healthcare today,鈥� says Dr. Daniel Rainham, Professor, Health Promotion and Academic Director, Centre for Planetary Health and Sustainable Care.听
Intertwined imperatives
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Valued at $50,000 per year for three years, the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships are among Canada鈥檚 most competitive and prestigious awards for doctoral students. They recognize candidates who exemplify academic excellence, research potential, and leadership 鈥� qualities Drew embodies in both his academic and clinical background. Among his many awards and honours, he is also a Killam Scholar and a recipient of the George Cooper Doctoral Killam Prize.
As Canada works to meet its climate goals and strengthen public health systems for the future, researchers like Jonathan Drew are helping light the path forward. From Nova Scotia to New Zealand and beyond, his work reminds us that caring for people and caring for the planet are not competing goals 鈥� but deeply intertwined imperatives.
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