CFUW Legacy Award
Originally dedicated to Susan Murphy, former National President of CFUW and Chair of the CFUW Charitable Trust Board, this award is dedicated to past members who have made significant contributions to the work of CFUW.
We know that the education of girls and women is something that the members of CFUW believe in and many of them devoted time and expertise to contributing to this cause. The CFUW Charitable Trust and CFUW members want to acknowledge their leadership by awarding Legacy Fellowship in their memory.
The Fellowship is awarded to a woman who has completed one calendar year of a doctoral program, at the time of application. The PhD thesis research/project must focus on advancing gender equality. It is not restricted to a specific field of studies. The Fellowship is tenable in Canada or abroad.
Fellowship Amount: $8,300
Tenure Period: 2026-2027 Academic Year
Frequency of Fellowship: Biennial
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
- The PhD thesis research/project must focus on advancing gender equality. It is not restricted to a specific field of studies. Some examples falling within our criteria:
- Thesis/project in the field of Law or International Law on access to justice for Aboriginal women.
- Thesis/project in the field of International Development on an intersectional feminist approach to international cooperation.
- Thesis/project in the field of Philosophy in Pharmacy on sex and gender bias in clinical research.
- Thesis/project in the field of Computer Science focusing on exploring the gender bias in big data.
- The PhD thesis/project must be well defined in terms of objectives, implementation, and expected results.
- Applicants must have completed one calendar year of a doctoral program, at the time of application.
- The Fellowship is tenable in Canada or abroad.
- Each project is evaluated by members of the CFUW Fellowships Committee, whose decision is final.
- Students in any branch of learning may apply but their program must demonstrate relevance to CFUW’s mission, aims, and objectives.
2025-2026 WINNER Alexa Bennett
ALEXA BENNETT
School: University of Waterloo
My name is Alexa Bennett and I am a PhD candidate in Geography at the University of Waterloo. My research examines how environmental conditions shape public health and wellbeing, with a particular focus on the links between water security and maternal health in low-resource contexts.
My doctoral work focuses on regions affected by artisanal and small-scale gold mining in Ghana, where communities are experiencing an ongoing water crisis. Through interviews with perinatal women and healthcare providers, my research investigates how water insecurity is experienced and managed during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. My interest in this work has come from years spent travelling, studying, and working across sub-Saharan Africa, South America, and Asia. I have seen how closely water access is tied to human health and dignity. Beyond its essential role in basic survival, the time required to fetch water also carries wider consequences for education and economic opportunity. This is especially true for women, who in many parts of the world are primarily responsible for collecting water for the household. My experiences abroad have shaped my commitment to research that not only documents these realities, but also provides evidence that can inform efforts to improve water access and, in turn, support the health, dignity, and future opportunities of mothers and their newborns. Alongside my research, I instruct undergraduate field courses in Ghana. It is rewarding to teach through place-based learning, where students engage directly with research partners, NGOs, and communities to understand the complexities of global environmental issues.
