APECS is pleased to announce our 2026 APECS International Mentorship Award recipient – Dr. Sean Desjardins!
Dr. Sean Desjardins (University of Groningen, the Netherlands) was nominated by PhD candidate Olga Ievleva and supported by fellow members of the TRACES (Tracking Long-term Resilience in Arctic Sociocultural-Ecological Systems) research team: Jonathan Spellerberg, Tessa Rongen, and Zhaxi Luobu. Together, the nomination letters highlighted Sean's outstanding commitment to mentoring and the lasting impact he has had on the personal and professional development of early career researchers.
Across the nomination letters, Sean was recognised for creating an environment where students are encouraged to develop into independent researchers while knowing they always have someone to turn to when needed. His mentees described how he provides guidance while allowing students the space to develop their own ideas, creates opportunities to build new skills, and always makes time to listen, offer advice, and celebrate their successes.
The Award Committee was particularly impressed by the many examples demonstrating Sean's holistic approach to mentoring. His nominators highlighted not only his scientific guidance, but also his commitment to supporting student wellbeing, promoting work-life balance, and fostering an inclusive and welcoming research environment. As one nominator reflected, “Starting a new life in another country can be overwhelming, and Sean understood those pressures from his own experiences with relocation.”
They also recognised his dedication to ethical, community-engaged Arctic research and the way he encourages students to work respectfully with Indigenous communities and knowledge systems. As leader of the TRACES project, an interdisciplinary research programme built around collaborations with the Inuit community of Igloolik, Nunavut, Canada, Sean models these values in practice. As one nominator wrote, he "leads by example in demonstrating what ethical, community-engaged, and supportive Arctic research can look like."
Sean’s students described him as a mentor who empowers early career researchers to grow both professionally and personally, building their confidence while creating a supportive environment in which they can thrive.
Congratulations to Dr. Sean Desjardins, and thank you for your dedication to mentoring and inspiring the next generation of polar researchers!
