Donors - Shaughn & Sharon Clements  

Donor Story: The Clements

Sharon Clements was born in Calgary, Alberta, and moved to New Westminster, BC, in 1952. She was a Charter Student at Simon Fraser University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in 1969 and entered the graduate program, receiving her Master of Science in 1974. As a Mature Student she entered the Spatial Information Systems (Geography) Program, receiving her diploma in 2000. Sharon began working for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in 1972 specializing in  Pathology and Entomology and continued working there until her retirement in 1997.

Shaughn Clements was born in Warwick, England, emigrating to Canada in 1946.  He has lived quite a nomadic life, having attended 25 schools in three countries before graduating Grade 13 in Guelph, Ontario.  He enrolled at SFU in 1966 – taking a one year break at the request of his previous employer to manage and reorganize one of the company departments – and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1971.  After graduating, and while Sharon was finishing her master’s degree, he started working for SFU in Financial Services and continued working there until 2000, when health concerns made taking early retirement necessary.

Shaughn & Sharon Clements Biological Sciences Field Trip Grant

The Shaughn & Sharon Clements Biological Sciences Field Trip Endowment Fund was established in 2014 through a generous gift by Shaughn and Sharon Clements with additional funds from the Department of Biological Sciences.  The Shaughn & Sharon Clements Biological Sciences Field Trip Grant is intended to fully or partially fund the fees associated with participation in a Biological Sciences Field Trip or School.

Grants will be awarded each year to undergraduate Biological Sciences majors who fulfil the following criteria:

  • registration in a Biological Sciences (BISC) or Marine Science (MASC) course.  Other field schools will also be considered, but preference is given to students who successfully apply to take courses offered at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre;
  • Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada; and,
  • in good academic standing.

The deadline for application is normally mid-February. BISC majors will be notified of the fieldtrip grant & application deadline by email. Applications may be for Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre programs (summer or fall) or other field trip opportunities (with the understanding that preference is given to students who successfully apply to take courses offered at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre).  

Completed applications should be submitted to the Undergraduate Program Assistant (biscugra@sfu.ca) and  must include:

  • a letter of recommendation from an SFU faculty member who is familiar with the student’s work which addresses why attendance in the field trip/school would be of benefit to that particular student; and,
  • a current, unofficial transcript; and,
  • a brief personal statement (one page) outlining the benefits to the applicant which would result from participation in the field trip/school.

Funds will only be disbursed to students upon proof of registration in the field trip or field school and are typically paid directly to the field program by way of a credit towards the student’s field school fees.

The fund will be administered by the Department of Biological Sciences and the grant(s) will be awarded upon the nomination of the Chair, Department of Biological Sciences.

If you would like more information about:

  • Opportunities and general information about the Bamfield Marine Science Centre– contact Bamfield (Link)
  • How to apply for the Shaughn & Sharon Clements Biological Sciences Field Trip Grant – contact the Biology Undergraduate Program Assistant (biscugra@sfu.ca)
  • How MASC courses at Bamfield can be applied towards your Biological Sciences major requirements – contact the Biology Undergraduate Advisor, Emelia Kirkwood (ekirkwoo@sfu.ca)