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 3 - August 14, 2024

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 8, 2024, and will close on April 17, 2024.

Apply Now

Virtual Information Session

STEM Faculty, graduate students, and lab staff, are you interested in learning more about the WISEST Summer Research Program and what hosting a student might entail?  WISEST is hosting a virtual information session for new labs/supervisors on Wednesday April 3rd, from 1:30-2:30 PM.  **Note change in date/time**
If you wish to attend, please register here  by 5:00PM, April 2nd. 
A minimum number of attendees will be required in order for this session to run. 

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 WHMIS 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 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.

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

Deadline to apply: Proposals will open on March 8, 2024, and will close on April 14, 2024.

Role Models and Mentorship

What: Share your career and life experiences as a woman, ally, 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.

Who: Women, strong allies, and gender-diverse professionals in science, engineering or technology fields or women and gender-diverse students pursuing graduate or Ph.D. studies.

Networking Fair

When:

  • Networking Mixer (in-person): Late July    
    TELUS International Centre Atrium 

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 STEM 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 link to come!

Virtual Role Model Panels

When:  

  • Virtual Role Model Panel: Mid-late July (two different dates)

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.

Targeted Role Model Panels: We are also offering the opportunity to participate in role model panel discussions specifically for members of underrepresented communities. i.e. A ‘queer-in-STEM’ panel, a panel for racialized folks, among others.

Sign up link to come!

Lab/Industry Tours

Who: Principal investigators, graduate and Ph.D. students, lab assistants, researchers in the industry

Dates: Two dates in mid-July (exact dates will be updated soon)

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. 

Sign up link to come!

Alumni Connections 

Who: Summer Research Program Alumni 

What: Are you a former SRP Student who wants to give back to the community? Do you want to help aspiring young scientists and engineers? Would you have liked to have had a connection with someone who had completed the program when you were in the SRP? Are you willing to provide encouragement, advice or a listening ear to this year's SRP cohort? 

We are looking for SRP alumni who would be willing to provide ~10-15 hours of volunteer time as an Alumni Connection for this year's students.

Expectations:

  • Be partnered with 3-5 students from this year's cohort (depending on the number of volunteers). 

  • Connect with your students one-on-one 2-3 times throughout the program. Ideally, once, face-to-face or virtually, and then emails can suffice. 

  • Be willing to share some of your STEM journey and experience with the SRP. 

  • Be a safe person for the student to share their program experience.

  • Provide a listening ear, advice, and encouragement when appropriate and celebrate your student's wins with them.

We'd like to partner students, where possible, with alumni connections with similar lived experiences, whether that be similar SRP placements, rural backgrounds, students who are part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community or racialized students (among others).

Sign up link to come!

Additionally, we are looking for WISEST Alumni from the past 4 years to sit on the WISEST 101 panel on July 3, 2024, from 12:30-3:30. Please email wisest.events@ualberta.ca if interested in this panel opportunity. 

Industry Tours Off-Campus

Who: Any industry partner in the community

When: Early August 

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.  If interested, please email wisest.events@ualberta.ca.