Dr. McKay, along with his colleagues Brittany N. Zepernick and Steven W. Wilhelm have been studying how light and the lack of ice cover in the Great Lakes impacts the ecosystems below the surface of the water, including among algae, which are the basis of lake ecosystems. Dr. McKay has been named the 2026 laureat of the Daylight Award for Research from Swiss-based Daylight Academy. The honour was awarded on May 16, UNESCO’s International Day of Light. The award ceremony will take place May 27, 2026, in Copenhagen.