Summer Research Program

The WISEST Summer Research Program would not be possible without the support and dedication of our fabulous volunteers. There are many ways to get involved and inspire a young mind!

Supervisors

Who: Principal investigators, graduate and PhD students, lab assistants

When: July 5 - August 16, 2023

What: Each year WISEST invites research labs on campus to supervise a WISEST student researcher for 6 weeks. This is an opportunity for you to share your passion for research and your scientific know-how with young women and gender diverse students in grade 11, who want to explore diverse fields of study in science, engineering and technology. Students are paid research assistants who are supervised by a principal investigator or by a member of a research team while contributing to a research project in the lab or in the field.

Deadline to apply: Proposals will open on March 6, 2023, and will close April 14, 2023.

Apply Now

Once you submit a proposal, WISEST will contact you to discuss details about the project and the Summer Research Program. 

COMMON QUESTIONS

Field Work
WISEST students are permitted to conduct field work provided that Supervisors communicate field activity through our Field Activity Communication Plan procedures and ensure that all students are accompanied by a Supervisor of the same gender whenever off-campus.
Safety
All student researchers will have completed WHIMIS and Biosafety training prior to beginning their work term. Even if this training is not applicable to your research we require all students to complete this because they will be touring other facilities and labs. All site-specific safety training is the responsibility of the research team and WISEST will work with you and EH&S to ensure that all safety requirements are met. WISEST also has a detailed emergency response procedure that it shares with all Supervisors.
Time Commitment
The WISEST Summer Research Program runs for 6 weeks in July and August. WISEST asks all of our students to be 100% committed during this time and we ask that research teams ensure that they are also 100% committed to their WISEST student researcher. This means ensuring that someone is always available to supervise and mentor your student throughout his or her work term.
What to Expect from your WISEST Student Researcher

Each year WISEST invites research labs on campus to supervise a WISEST student researcher for 6 weeks. This is an opportunity for you to share your passion for research and your scientific know-how with young womena and gender diverse students in grade 11 who want to explore diverse fields of study in science, engineering and technology. Students are paid research assistants who are supervised by a principal investigator or by a member of a research team while contributing to a research project in the lab or in the field.

PIs and Supervisors are asked to consider how their project would translate into a virtual project. If you have questions, please contact wisest@ualberta.ca.

Deadline to apply: Proposals will open on March 6, 2023, and will close April 14, 2023.

Role Models - Networking Fair 

Who: Women and gender diverse professionals in science, engineering or technology fields or women and gender diverse students pursuing graduate or PhD studies.

When: 

  • Virtual Role Model Panel: TBD
  • Networking Mixer (in-person): July 28th, 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM     
    TELUS International Centre Atrium 

What: Share your career and life experiences as a woman or gender diverse person in your field of science, engineering or technology and help students to discover the range of diverse careers possible in these fields by volunteering to be a Role Model.  The students often tell us that these events are one of their favourite experiences because they engage in discussions with Role Models about how these professionals have approached their careers and lives.

Virtual Role Model Panel: Virtual Role Model Panel: These one-hour sessions will involve you and a few other role models as panellists, answering questions from a small group of students. 

Networking Mixer: Role Models engage with Summer Research Program participants in our annual Networking Fair to share their educational and career experiences. This is an opportunity for students to learn about diverse careers in SET and to meet with professionals who work in these fields. This event consists of a panel discussion, followed by an informal networking mixer.

SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER

Lab/Industry Tours

Who: Principal investigators, graduate and PhD students, lab assistants, researchers in industry

Dates: Wednesday, July 20, 2022 12-1:00PM and/or Wednesday, July 27, 2022, 12:00-1:00PM

What: If you are currently conducting some cool and cutting-edge research in your lab then WISEST would love for you to share it with our student researchers! Each year we offer students the opportunity to tour different research labs and facilities on campus. This exposes students to a diverse range of research and opens their eyes to the numerous potential educational and career pathways that are available to them. If interested, please contact wisest@ualberta.ca.

Important Notice about Virtual Lab/Industry Tours

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we are offering the opportunity for virtual lab/industry tours in addition to in-person tours. If you are interested in showing our students your workspace (either in-person or virtually) and talking about what types of research/work take place and the potential careers involved, we invite you to sign up for a tour.

Sign up to Volunteer

U of A Q & A Session

Who: Undergraduate and graduate students

What: We need undergrad and graduate students to act as the panelists and share their U of A experience. Volunteers should be currently enrolled in a science, technology, engineering or math-related program and be prepared to answer questions from grade 11 students who are eager to learn about University life. The session could involve giving advice on selecting courses, how to apply, what to expect regarding admissions, what it's like to be an undergraduate student on campus, etc. Please email wisest@ualberta.ca if interested.

When: TBD

Industry Tours Off-Campus

Who: Any industry partner in the community

When: August 10, 2022

What: If you would like to invite students to tour your facility and see what STEM careers look like in action, we would love for you to contact us.  Each year we offer students the opportunity to tour different research labs and facilities off-campus. This exposes students to a diverse range of research and opens their eyes to the numerous potential educational and career pathways that are available to them. In 2022, we are also considering “virtual tours” as an option.  If interested please email wisest@ualberta.ca.