Alumni Profile
Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland
Logan Reid
Fry Family Foundation Graduate Student Leadership Award, 2026
Fry Family Foundation Graduate Student Leadership Award, 2026
|
|
I grew up in the small village of Dorchester, New Brunswick, but Newfoundland has always been a part of my life. My dad and his side of the family are from Newfoundland, having grown up in Chapel Arm and St. John’s. My great-grandfather worked as a merchant marine on schooners, and my grandfather worked for CN Rail. Each summer, my family would come back to Newfoundland to camp, hike, fish, and spend time in the many places that I now consider a second home.
|
After spending the last two years completing my Master of Science in Fisheries Science and Technology at the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University, I can confidently say that coming here is a decision I am proud of. The Marine Institute has given me opportunities to grow as a student, researcher, athlete, and leader, while also allowing me to feel connected to a place that has always meant a great deal to my family.
Before coming to Newfoundland, I attended Mount Allison University, where I completed a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Biology and a minor in Community Engaged Learning. Mount Allison shaped me in many ways, both in the classroom and through extracurricular involvement. It was there that I began to better understand the importance of community, service, and using research in ways that connect with people outside of the classroom. I remain connected to the university through alumni roles, student mentorship, and varsity sport, and I carry many of those lessons with me in my work today.
My path to the Marine Institute began when I came across research being conducted in fisheries science and reached out to Dr. Tyler Eddy about potential opportunities. Since then, I have been fortunate to be involved in research and learning opportunities that have taken many different forms. One of the most memorable experiences was learning aboard the vessel Polar Prince during work related to the discovery of the Funk Island Coral Garden. I have also had the opportunity to interview Fisheries and Oceans Canada decision-makers as part of my master’s research, which has been one of the most meaningful parts of my degree. My current research looks at how scientific advice is used in fisheries management decisions in Canada. I compare scientific recommendations with final management decisions and use interviews with decision-makers to better understand why decisions may align with or differ from science advice. This work has shown me how complex fisheries decision-making can be, especially when science, conservation, economics, Indigenous rights, community knowledge, and policy all need to be considered. It has also reminded me that research is not only about producing results, but about asking questions that matter to communities, governments, and the people affected by those decisions.
Outside of my research, I enjoy swimming, biking, and running, sometimes in that order. I am also a member of the Memorial University Varsity Cross Country Team and am proud to represent my school as part of such a supportive and hardworking group. Being a student-athlete has taught me a lot about consistency, discipline, and teamwork. Those lessons have helped me throughout graduate school. Balancing research, leadership roles, work, training, and coursework has required patience and commitment.
My most significant leadership contribution during my graduate studies has been representing graduate student interests at the Marine Institute while also working with graduate student groups across Memorial University’s campuses, including St. John’s, Grenfell, and the Ocean Sciences Centre. As I complete the final year of my program, I have taken on the role of Co-Chair of the Marine Institute Graduate Society. In this position, my responsibilities include the academic planning file, along with supporting student initiatives and representing graduate student perspectives. Through this role, I have had the opportunity to represent my fellow graduate students on the Marine Institute Strategic Planning Committee, the Marine Institute Graduate Studies Committee, and previously through a one-year term as a Marine Institute Graduate Society representative on the Memorial University Graduate Students’ Union Board of Directors. These experiences have reminded me that leadership is not only about speaking on behalf of others, but also about listening, showing up, and helping ensure student voices are heard. They have also helped me better understand how universities operate and how important it is for students to have a place in those conversations.I am currently in the second year of my MSc and beginning to think about the next steps in my academic and professional path. I am interested in continuing work related to fisheries, policy, law, and decision-making, whether through further research, legal studies, or work connected to public policy and fisheries governance. My time at the Marine Institute has strengthened my interest in work that connects research with real decisions and the communities affected by them.
Receiving the Fry Family Foundation Graduate Student Leadership Award is an incredible honour, and I am very grateful for the support. This award means a lot to me, not only because it helps support my education, but because it recognizes the importance of leadership and community involvement at the Marine Institute. I am thankful to the Fry Family Foundation for investing in students and to my supervisor, committee, teammates, classmates, friends, family, and the broader Marine Institute community for their support. I am excited to finish my degree and see where these experiences take me next.
Logan
Before coming to Newfoundland, I attended Mount Allison University, where I completed a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Biology and a minor in Community Engaged Learning. Mount Allison shaped me in many ways, both in the classroom and through extracurricular involvement. It was there that I began to better understand the importance of community, service, and using research in ways that connect with people outside of the classroom. I remain connected to the university through alumni roles, student mentorship, and varsity sport, and I carry many of those lessons with me in my work today.
My path to the Marine Institute began when I came across research being conducted in fisheries science and reached out to Dr. Tyler Eddy about potential opportunities. Since then, I have been fortunate to be involved in research and learning opportunities that have taken many different forms. One of the most memorable experiences was learning aboard the vessel Polar Prince during work related to the discovery of the Funk Island Coral Garden. I have also had the opportunity to interview Fisheries and Oceans Canada decision-makers as part of my master’s research, which has been one of the most meaningful parts of my degree. My current research looks at how scientific advice is used in fisheries management decisions in Canada. I compare scientific recommendations with final management decisions and use interviews with decision-makers to better understand why decisions may align with or differ from science advice. This work has shown me how complex fisheries decision-making can be, especially when science, conservation, economics, Indigenous rights, community knowledge, and policy all need to be considered. It has also reminded me that research is not only about producing results, but about asking questions that matter to communities, governments, and the people affected by those decisions.
Outside of my research, I enjoy swimming, biking, and running, sometimes in that order. I am also a member of the Memorial University Varsity Cross Country Team and am proud to represent my school as part of such a supportive and hardworking group. Being a student-athlete has taught me a lot about consistency, discipline, and teamwork. Those lessons have helped me throughout graduate school. Balancing research, leadership roles, work, training, and coursework has required patience and commitment.
My most significant leadership contribution during my graduate studies has been representing graduate student interests at the Marine Institute while also working with graduate student groups across Memorial University’s campuses, including St. John’s, Grenfell, and the Ocean Sciences Centre. As I complete the final year of my program, I have taken on the role of Co-Chair of the Marine Institute Graduate Society. In this position, my responsibilities include the academic planning file, along with supporting student initiatives and representing graduate student perspectives. Through this role, I have had the opportunity to represent my fellow graduate students on the Marine Institute Strategic Planning Committee, the Marine Institute Graduate Studies Committee, and previously through a one-year term as a Marine Institute Graduate Society representative on the Memorial University Graduate Students’ Union Board of Directors. These experiences have reminded me that leadership is not only about speaking on behalf of others, but also about listening, showing up, and helping ensure student voices are heard. They have also helped me better understand how universities operate and how important it is for students to have a place in those conversations.I am currently in the second year of my MSc and beginning to think about the next steps in my academic and professional path. I am interested in continuing work related to fisheries, policy, law, and decision-making, whether through further research, legal studies, or work connected to public policy and fisheries governance. My time at the Marine Institute has strengthened my interest in work that connects research with real decisions and the communities affected by them.
Receiving the Fry Family Foundation Graduate Student Leadership Award is an incredible honour, and I am very grateful for the support. This award means a lot to me, not only because it helps support my education, but because it recognizes the importance of leadership and community involvement at the Marine Institute. I am thankful to the Fry Family Foundation for investing in students and to my supervisor, committee, teammates, classmates, friends, family, and the broader Marine Institute community for their support. I am excited to finish my degree and see where these experiences take me next.
Logan