Undergraduate Student Research and Awards
The University of Alberta Faculty of Nursing is dedicated to sustaining a robust environment for undergraduate research. By providing diverse opportunities for hands-on discovery, we empower our students to develop the critical thinking and leadership skills essential for modern healthcare.
We are pleased to feature a brief introduction from our Class of 2025 student researchers. In this video, they share insights into their diverse projects—from health equity to clinical innovation.
The Nursing Research Office is pleased to announce the schedule for the 2026 Undergraduate Student Summer Series: “Launchpad to Research”. This series includes five one-hour seminars, held weekly from June 10 to July 8 inclusive.
The Faculty of Nursing opens this event to all undergraduate students across health-related disciplines who are either already engaged in or wishing to learn more about engaging in research at the undergraduate level. The event raises students' awareness of and interest in research through a rich breadth of researchers engaged in a broad range of research and methods.
Topics for discussion in the 2026 Undergraduate Student Summer Series are:
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Research Ethics: 101
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Choosing a research topic
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Centring Indigenous Voices: Research Through Humility and Respect
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Access, Community and Belonging and its Role in Research
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Preparing for graduate studies: research at a graduate level
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Practicalities of moving forward
2026 LaunchPad Summer Series Schedule
The Faculty of Nursing is pleased to announce that 35 students from our BScN (Hons) program and BScN (Hons) after-degree program have been awarded $2,000 bursaries to support their honors research. These students will contribute to 18 projects under the supervision of our tenure track faculty members.
Congratulations to the 2026 recipients of the faculty’s Undergraduate Student Research Award and their faculty supervisors!
Farah Elgaweesh, BScN (Hons) program, and Noor Ein, BScN (Hons) program
Supervisor: Dr. Neelam Punjani
Project: Barriers to Accessing Sexual Assault Support Services Among Immigrant Female University Students in North America: A Scoping Review
Areen Khan, BScN (Hons) program, and Zeinab Mohammed BScN (Hons) program
Supervisor: Dr. Salima Meherali
Project: Sexual Health Education via Social Media as a Strategy to Prevent Technology-Facilitated Sexual Violence in Adolescents: A Scoping Review
Sargas-Sion Ouattara BScN (Hons) after-degree program and Dayun Yun BScN (Hons) after-degree program
Supervisors: Dr. Anna Santos-Salas and Dr. Harkeert Judge
Project: Exploring challenges to the implementation of community-based patient navigation in the care of people with cancer from underserved communities
Anjum Rabbi BScNc(Hons) after-degree program
Supervisor: Dr. Ashley Hyde
Project: Exploring Caregiver Experiences with a Digital Mind-Body Wellness Program
Aditi Chauhan BScN (Hons) program, Akansha Chauhan BScN (Hons) program and Arzoo Duggal BScN (Hons) program
Supervisor: Dr. Stephanie Chamberlain
Project: Enhancing Quality at Generations: Identifying Measures for Physical, Social, Emotional, and Spiritual Outcomes
Aksha Hemnani BScN (Hons) program and Katie Juchymenko BScN (Hons) program
Supervisor: Dr. Kara Schick-Makaroff
Project: Introducing a mental health care pathway for adults receiving dialysis at two sites in Alberta
JJ Diaz BScN(Hons) after-degree program and Kaitlyn MacLeod BScN(Hons) after-degree program
Supervisor: Dr. Edith Pituskin
Project: Living with Aortic Diseases
Catherine Mah BScN (Hons) program and Gabrielle Nabena BScN (Hons) program
Supervisor: Dr. Carmel Montgomery
Project: A Review of Canadian Guidelines for Palliative/End-of-life Care and Withdrawal of Life-Sustaining Measures in Intensive Care Unit Settings
Kelly Campbell BScN (Hons) program and Konsoler Mandah BScN (Hons) program
Supervisor: Dr. Patrick Chiu
Project: Disciplinary decisions of professional misconduct across Canadian nursing regulators between 2023-2025: A retrospective analysis
Mahera Noor BScN (Hons) program and Preesha Patel BScN (Hons) program
Supervisors: Dr. Hannah O'Rourke and Dr. Steven Hall
Project: Meaning-making of dementia caregiving in the Canadian context – A narrative reanalysis
Rhoda Ghebregziabiher BScN (Hons) program
Supervisor: Dr. Carole Estabrooks
Project: Barriers and Facilitators of Implementing INFORM for Managers Working in LTC Settings
Alison Roy BScN(Hons) after-degree program and Rakshan Sundararajan BScN(Hons) after-degree program
Supervisor: Dr. Samantha Louie-Poon
Project: The development and evaluation of the Chinese Youth Community of Alberta
Alya Amusat BScN (Hons) program
Supervisor: Dr. Manal Kleib
Project: The Utilization of Agentic AI in Nursing Practice
Jianna Diaz BScN (Hons) program, Annie Huang BScN (Hons) program, and Ayo Osindele BScN (Hons) program
Supervisor: Dr. Hannah O’Rourke and Fernanda Dal Pizzol
Project: A Mixed Methods Approach to Assess Acceptability of Programs to Support Preparedness of Caregivers of Older Adults after Stroke
Habiba Elrefaei BScN (Hons) program, Charlie MacKenzie, BScN (Hons) after-degree program , and Daniya Mouallem, BScN (Hons) program
Supervisor: Dr. Colleen Norris
Project: Understanding Women's Midlife Health
Denise Allison BScN (Hons) program and Layla Wolfe BScN (Hons) program
Supervisor: Dr. Jim Johansson
Project: Wildfire and Indigenous Community Mental Health
Emily Wu BScN (Hons) program
Supervisors: Dr. Carole Estabrooks and Fiona MacKenzie
Project: Trauma Research for Adverse Care Aides’ Experiences (TRACE) Project: Survey Testing
Alex Cameron BScN(Hons) after-degree program, and Jess Schwartz, BScN(Hons) after-degree program
Supervisor: Dr. Elisavet Papathanasoglou
Project: Trauma-Informed Care for Intensive Care Unit Patients and Survivors: A Scoping Review
2026 External Undergraduate Research Awards
The Faculty of Nursing is pleased to congratulate the following students and their supervisors on obtaining the following competitive research awards.
| Source of Funding | Name of Student | Supervisor | Project Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CIHR Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) | Akunna Izugbokwe | Dr. Oluwakemi Amodu | Perinatal Care Experiences Among Black Refugee Women in New Canadians Health Centre |
| Alberta Innovates Summer Research Studentship (SRS) | Rofyda Khaleel | Dr. Neelam Punjani | Exploring Barriers to Equitable Pediatric Healthcare Access for Indigenous Families in Rural and Marginalized Communities in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Alberta |
| Undergraduate Research Initiative (URI) | Asha Jama | Dr. Maya R. Kalogirou | Exploring Undergraduate Nursing Students Preparedness For Climate Change, Planetary Health, and Sustainability |
| Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (WCHRI) Summer Studentships | Areen Khan | Dr. Salima Meherali | Sexual health education via digital media as a strategy to prevent technology-facilitated sexual violence in adolescents: A scoping review |
|
Cancer Research Institute of Northern Alberta (CRINA) and the Alberta Cancer Foundation (ACF), CRINAACF Summer Studentship – Sartore Multidisciplinary Summer Studentship Award. |
Derek Parker | Dr. Edith Pituskin | neuromuscuLar dysfunction In women receiving taxane-Based chemotheRApy (LIBRA) |
| KRESCENT Summer Studentship Program | Nife Oladele |
Dr. Kara Schick-Makaroff | CBT Dialysis |