CBS Students Receive Top Awards at Convocation, including Winegard Medal, Governor General’s Medals
At this year’s spring convocation ceremonies, held between June 8-12, graduating College of Biological Science students will be granted awards in recognition of their achievements, including the W.C. Winegard Medal, one Governor General’s Gold Medal and three Governor General’s Silver Medals.
- W.C. Winegard Medal: Justin Tang, B.Sc. Biological Science
- Governor General’s Gold Medal: Dr. Brett Culbert, PhD in Integrative Biology
- Governor General’s Silver Medal: Bryn Cameron McNeil, B.Sc. Bio-Medical Science
- Governor General’s Silver Medal: Lindsay Sofia Moffatt, B.Sc. Microbiology
- Governor General’s Silver Medal: Lochlyn Amelia Anne Trefiak, B.Sc. Bio-Medical Science
- D.F. Forster Medal: Nida Ansari, M.Sc. in Integrative Biology
- Bruce Sells Medal of Academic Excellence: Noah Middleton, B.Sc. Biological Science
W.C. Winegard Medal: Justin Tang, B.Sc. Biological Science
The Winegard Medal is the University of Guelph's top undergraduate convocation award. Named after former University of Guelph president Dr. William Winegard, the medal recognizes both academic achievement and contributions to university and community life.
Justin Tang is graduating after only three years with a 98% average, having secured early offers to leading medical schools such as Yale, Duke, Columbia, Mayo Clinic, and Johns Hopkins, with some institutions also offering major scholarships, with some valued at almost $200,000. Along with dental school offers, he has been admitted to Canadian medical schools, including University of Ottawa, McMaster, and has received the Fulford Scholarship to attend U of T's St. George campus. His grade point average puts him in the 100th percentile of graduates in the College of Biological Science’s class of 2026.
Tang holds an h-index of 6 and has published three abstracts and 15 peer-reviewed papers — including seven as first author — in journals such as Annals of Oncology, Clinical Cancer Research, and JITC, among others. He has contributed to research at institutions including McMaster University, the Mayo Clinic, and Harvard Medical School. His scientific expertise has also led to him serving as an invited peer reviewer for journals including Advanced Science, Cell Reports Medicine, and Frontiers in Toxicology. At U of G, he conducted research with Dr. Clara Cho in Human Health Sciences and Dr. Maria Corradini in Food Science on topics ranging from cardiometabolic health to food safety.
Outside of academics, Tang has a strong commitment to community service and mentorship. He has volunteered in hospitals, as a crisis responder, in music therapy, as well as supported students through the U of G’s STEM Student Guelph Support Association. He co-founded EqualStart Foundation, an international non-profit organization offering free tutoring, mentorship and resources to children in Canada and the Caribbean. During his degree, he has also worked as an assistant at a medical clinic and a dentistry clinic, as a piano teacher and swim instructor/lifeguard in Guelph, and taught English to children in rural China.
Tang’s many awards include the Board of Governors’ Scholarship, Frederick Hutt Scholarship, McArthur-Humphries Scholarship, Dean’s Scholarship, Van Stralen & Van Der Hoeven Scholarship, Stephanie Betts Memorial Scholarship, and Summerlee Humanitarian Scholarship, along with non-academic recognitions, such as placing top 60th globally in the Ultimate Typing Championship and a three-time provincial finalist for piano.
Governor General’s Gold Medal: Dr. Brett Culbert, PhD in Integrative Biology
The Governor General’s Gold Medal is awarded to the student with the highest academic standing at the graduate level.
As a doctoral student in Integrative Biology, Dr. Brett Culbert has shown exceptional achievement across research, scholarship and teaching. Supervised by Dr. Nicholas Bernier, his research focused on the hormonal regulation of ion and water balance in fish, with implications for fisheries management and conservation. His thesis, “Osmoregulatory contributions of the corticotropin releasing factor system in salmonid fishes,” was recognized as a finalist for the Cameron Award for Best Canadian Zoology PhD Thesis.
Culbert’s doctoral studies were supported by several competitive scholarships, including an NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship, where he ranked 9th of 145 applicants. Across his academic career, he has been offered approximately $400,000 in funding. He has published 35 peer-reviewed articles to date (22 as first author), in journals such as Frontiers in Endocrinology and Journal of Neuroendocrinology, and has served as a peer reviewer for more than 50 manuscripts.
As an educator and mentor, he has co-supervised 19 undergraduate researchers, served as a teaching assistant for eight courses spanning behaviour, evolution and physiology, and delivered invited lectures at multiple institutions.
Culbert is currently pursuing postdoctoral research at the University of Cincinnati, focusing on developmental endocrinology.
Governor General’s Silver Medal: Bryn Cameron McNeil, B.Sc. Bio-Medical Science
The Governor General’s Silver Medal is awarded to students with the highest academic standing at the undergraduate level.
Bryn McNeil is graduating with a cumulative average of 95.88%. She maintained this high level of performance in each semester of her program, earning a grade of higher than 90% in 31 of her courses and a grade of at least 95% in 23 of those courses. For her academic achievements, she has been recognized with the University of Guelph Entrance Scholarship, as well as the Alberta Education Rutherford Scholarship.
McNeil is originally from Alberta and has been actively involved in the Out of Province Students Club on campus. In her role as the Communications Executive, she helped to create a sense of community for students who were far from home. She coordinated events that allowed students to connect with each other and find a sense of belonging on campus. This welcoming energy followed her to her work as a Volunteer Campus Tour Guide as she encouraged the next generation of Gryphons to call Guelph their new home.
Throughout her education, McNeil has been dedicated to healthcare. Whether she was completing research with the Broderick Cardiomyopathy Program or providing support to seniors as a Volunteer Quality of Life Ambassador, McNeil seeks to care for her community through improved patient care. After graduation, McNeil will continue her work as a research assistant and will be applying to graduate school in the coming year.
Governor General’s Silver Medal: Lindsay Sofia Moffatt, B.Sc. Microbiology
The Governor General’s Silver Medal is awarded to students with the highest academic standing at the undergraduate level.
Lindsay Moffatt has demonstrated exceptional academic excellence, earning an outstanding cumulative average of 96.38%. Her achievements have been recognized through numerous scholarships and awards, including the Robert Orr Lawson Microbiology Entrance Scholarship, the GIBCO/BRL Microbiology Research Excellence Prize, and the Dr. R.M.W. Stevenson Microbiology Scholarship.
Beyond her own academic success, Moffatt has made numerous meaningful contributions to the university community. As a Supported Learning Group Leader, she developed and led workshops that helped students build confidence in challenging subjects. As Vice-President Secretary of the Math & Statistics Club, she created opportunities for students to connect beyond the classroom. Moffatt is not only an exceptional student, but also a thoughtful mentor and supportive peer.
As a part of the Sorbara Microbiome lab, Moffatt’s knowledge of mathematics and microbiology allowed her to develop an efficient method to compare bacterial genomes. She scaled this approach to make millions of comparisons and has made fundamental discoveries about how bacteria evolve and change their genomes. Her work has important implications for our understanding of how to select individual strains of bacteria as potential therapeutics.
Now pursuing an M.Sc. in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Moffatt is combining her love of mathematics and microbiology in her research.
Governor General’s Silver Medal: Lochlyn Amelia Anne Trefiak, B.Sc. Bio-Medical Science
The Governor General’s Silver Medal is awarded to students with the highest academic standing at the undergraduate level.
Lochlyn Trefiak is graduating with a cumulative average of 98.15%. She maintained this high level of performance in each semester of her program, earning a grade of higher than 90% in all 34 of her courses and a grade of at least 95% in 31 of those courses. Trefiak has been recognized for her academic achievements through the Dean’s Scholarship and the Board of Governor’s Scholarship. This medal will mark Trefiak’s second Governor General Medal, as she was the recipient of the Bronze Medal in high school.
As a student in the Advanced Study in Human Anatomy course, Trefiak worked tirelessly to produce exceptional projects with her colleagues and approached each new goal with enthusiasm and a desire to engage deeply with the course material. She shared this enthusiasm with her fellow students as an Anatomy Lab Facilitator and a Peer Mentor, where she would lead educational sessions and provide one-on-one mentorship to help students navigate difficult concepts. With her efforts, Trefiak has demonstrated her commitment to academic excellence, and to creating an inclusive and encouraging environment among her peers.
Trefiak is a devoted academic researcher, who strives for patient-centred care through her work. As a member of Dr. Jim Petrick’s lab, her research was aimed at modifying the treatment of women with cancer in a way that would preserve ovarian function and fertility. Her work was at the intersection of cancer therapy and women’s health, and she made important contributions to the field. After graduation, Lochlyn will begin her Doctor of Medicine program at Western University.
D.F. Forster Medal: Nida Ansari, M.Sc. in Integrative Biology
Named after the late Donald Forster, a former president of the University of Guelph, this award recognizes academic achievement, motivation, leadership and citizenship.
Throughout both her undergraduate and graduate studies at U of G, Nida Ansari has been committed to supporting students in their education, with a particular emphasis on interdisciplinary perspectives and learning in context. Her master’s research, completed under the supervision of Dr. Shoshanah Jacobs, examined contextual and community-engaged learning in engineering education, offering practical, evidence-based insights for curriculum development.
Ansari has presented at local and national conferences on her master’s research and broader topics in higher education teaching and learning, and planned and executed the university-wide event “On the Importance of Context.” She has contributed to several U of G teaching and learning committees and helped establish the Bio-Ed Graduate Research Group, which brought together graduate students conducting research on teaching and learning in biology and broader STEM disciplines. She has also facilitated a variety of workshops, including on supporting students with disabilities, and self-care and study strategies, and held mentorship and support roles with Cultural Diversity and CBS’s Undergraduate Mentorship Program.
Ansari’s honours include a Canada Graduate Scholarship, the University of Guelph’s Arthur Richmond Memorial Scholarship, the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) Henry Mandelbaum Master’s Fellowship Award, and the Outstanding Original Research Presentation Award at the 2025 ENGAGE Conference in Guelph.
Bruce Sells Medal of Academic Excellence: Noah Middleton, B.Sc. Biological Science
The Bruce Sells Medal of Academic Excellence is presented annually to a student who has graduated with the highest cumulative average in the Honours Biological Science program. This year, the award goes to Noah Middleton, who is graduating with a cumulative average of 95.5%.
Middleton’s travels with his family, including to parts of Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, sparked his love for a wide variety of animals, especially elephants, and inspired his goal of becoming a wildlife veterinarian. His dream of one day working with wildlife in Africa has been a driving force throughout his undergraduate degree.
He chose the Biological Science major for its flexibility, allowing him to explore courses aligned with his interests, from animal anatomy to ecology and evolution.
To achieve his exceptional grade point average, for which he was also awarded the Dean’s Scholarship in 2023, he developed disciplined study habits, while prioritizing a balance between academics and his health and well-being. He has also completed more than 250 hours of volunteer work with small and large animal veterinary practices, gaining hands-on experience with animals ranging from dairy cattle and horses to cats, dogs and rabbits.
Beyond the classroom, he has been involved in the U of G Wildlife Club and Future Vets Club, where he connected with a veterinarian in Zambia, an experience that has helped shape his plans for working internationally.