The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) jointly administer the annual Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) program. These four-month undergraduate student research awards provide hands-on, full-time paid research and are meant to nurture your interest and fully develop your potential for a research career in health, natural sciences, engineering, social sciences or humanities. These awards provide research opportunities that complement your area of study and prepare you for graduate studies.

A MacEwan faculty supervisor oversees the work of the award recipient. Successful USRA holders receive a minimum of $9,200 in funding ($6,000 from NSERC + $3,200 minimum contribution from the faculty supervisor) for 14-16 weeks of full-time work. All USRA applicants(NSERC, SSHRC and CIHR) use the same application process. Currently, SSHRC and CIHR awards are exclusively available to self-identifying Black students. All qualified applicants, including those self-identifying as Black or Indigenous, are encouraged to apply for NSERC USRAs.

USRA STUDENT APPLICATION FORM

USRA STUDENT APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Deadline to apply: March 3

Faculty supervisors

Department of Biological Sciences

  • Dr. Benjamin Bourrie, bourrieb@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Food and beverage fermentation, probiotics, microbial ecology
  • Dr. Kevin Judge, judgek3@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Sexual selection and the ecology of mating systems
  • Dr. Joshua Miller, millerj253@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Genomic architecture, evolution, ecology, conservation
  • Dr. Habib Rezanejad, rezanejadh@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Diabetes, tissue culture, stem cell regeneration

Department of Computer Science

  • Dr. Dana Cobzas, cobzasd@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Robotics, medical imaging, algorithms, computer vision
  • Dr. Mahdi Daghmehchi Firoozjaei, mahdi.firoozjaei@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Blockchain, cyber security, technology forensics

Department of Decision Sciences

  • Dr. Parminder Singh Kang, kangp7@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Supply chain, data mining, sustainable development
  • Dr. Craig Kuziemsky, kuziemskyc@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Development of a system design framework for digital process innovation
  • Dr. Arka Mukherjee, mukherjeea2@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Game theory, sustainability, supply chain

Department of Mathematics & Statistics

  • Dr. Cristina Anton, popescuc@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Differential equations, stochastic processes and their applications
  • Dr. Brian Franczak, franczakb@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Mixtures of contaminated shifted asymmetric laplace factor analyzers
  • Dr. Rui Hu, hur3@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Experimental design, robustness, spatial statistics
  • Dr. Cristian Ivanescu, ivanescuc@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Operator algebras, functional analysis
  • Dr. Christopher Ramsey, ramseyc5@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Operator algebras and matrix-valued integration
  • Dr. Nicolae Strungaru, strungarun@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Mathematics of aperiodic order, physical quasi-crystals
  • Dr. Adi Tcaciuc, tcaciuca@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Functional analysis, operator theory

Department of Physical Sciences

  • Dr. Roland Lee, leer86@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Conversion of biomass to value-added products; development of environmental analytical methods
  • Dr. Samuel Mugo, mugos@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Polymer nanomaterials for portable sensing and encapsulation; 3D fabrication from biomaterials
  • Dr. Matthew Ross, rossm48@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Fates and effects of environmental pollutants

Department of Psychology

  • Dr. Trevor Hamilton, hamiltont9@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Pharmacological and environmentally-induced changes in fish behaviour
  • Dr. Cameron Hassall, hassallc@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Neuroimaging, computational modelling, decision making, reasoning
  • Dr. Christopher Striemer, striemerc@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Cognitive neuroscience of attention perception and visuomotor control

Department of Anthropology, Economics & Political Science

  • Dr. Katie Biittner, biittnerk@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Archaeological sciences, Africanist archaeology, gender archaeology
  • Dr. Brendan Boyd, boydb26@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Public administration and policy, environmental policy and politics
  • Dr. Marielle Papin, papinm5@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Global environment, urban sustainability, innovation, global regulations, public policy
  • Dr. Jeff Rice, ricej26@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Foreign policy, peace and conflict
  • Dr. Treena Swanston, swanstont@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Social science, biological anthropology, bioarchaeology, paleopathology, imaging, x-ray, lead poisoning

Department of Biological Sciences

  • Dr. Ross Shaw, shawr@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Educational video game development, aquatic biosphere

Department of Decision Sciences

  • Dr. Parminder Singh Kang, kangp7@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Supply chain, data mining, sustainable development

Department of Design

  • Dr. Farzan Baradaran Rahimi, baradaranrahimif@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Immersive learning, computational design, virtual reality, game design
  • Dr. Carolyn Jervis, jervisc@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Relationship between art and Christianity

Department of English

Department of Human Services & Early Learning

  • Dr. Ozlem Cankaya, cankayao@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Parent-child play types
  • Dr. Maria Di Stasio, distasiom@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Socio-emotional development, relationships, bullying, adolescents, inclusive practices
  • Dr. Natalia Rohatyn-Martin, rohatynmartinn@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Community-based, qualitative, social justice, deaf or hard of hearing, services for person with disabilities

Department of Humanities

  • Dr. Erin Cowling, cowlinge@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Hispanic studies, theatre interpretation, plays, social psychology
  • Dr. Benjamin Garstad, garstadb@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Greek and Roman myth, comparative mythology, Hellenistic periods
  • Dr. Sean Hannon, hannans@macewan.ca
    Research topics: History of religion, digital humanities

Department of International Business, Strategy, Marketing & Law

  • Dr. Fernando Angulo Ruiz, anguloruizl@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Market research, internationalization
  • Dr. Hadi Chapardar, chapardarh@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Business policy, circular economy, supply chain resilience, environment
  • Dr. Qian (Claire) Deng, dengq2@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Consumer behaviour
  • Dr. Etayankara Muralidharan, muralidharane@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Business policy, crisis management, international trade, marketing

Department of Management & Organizations

  • Dr. Theresa Chika-James, chikajamest@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Business and society, community engagement, business ethics, workplace gender and racial issues
  • Dr. Leanne Hedberg, leanne.hedberg@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Inclusive entrepreneurship, social innovation
  • Dr. Tiffany Kriz, tiffany.kriz@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Organizational behaviour, social psychology, listening

Department of Music

Department of Nursing Foundations & Science

  • Dr. Mary Asirifi, asirifim@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Stigma faced by adolescents with disabilities in Ghana

Department of Physical Sciences

Department of Psychology

  • Dr. Sandy Jung, jungs0@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Sexual violence, forensic psychology

School of Social Work

  • Dr. Anna Azulai, azulaia@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Mental health in aging
  • Dr. Lun Li, lil53@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Social isolation, aging, immigrants, gerontological social work
  • Dr. Valerie Ouedraogo, ouedraogov@macewan.ca
    Research topics: International migration, intercultural learning
  • Dr. Hongmei Tong, tongh8@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Mental health in older adults

Department of Sociology

  • Dr. Emily Milne, milnee4@macewan.ca
    Research topics: School-based policy and strategy to reduce educational inequalities
  • Dr. Jeffrey Stepnisky, stepniskyj@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Identity, culture, self, Ukraine, collective memory, self-understanding, antidepressant medications
  • Dr. Jessica Wright, jj.wright@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Queer joy, gender-based violence

Department of Design

  • Dr. Farzan Baradaran Rahimi, baradaranrahimif@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Immersive learning, computational design, virtual reality, game design, empathy

Department of Nursing Foundations & Science

  • Dr. Mary Asirifi, asirifim@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Stigma faced by adolescents with disabilities in Ghana
  • Dr. Gail Low, lowg4@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Ecological determinants of health inequities, mental health, late mid-life adult health

Department of Psychology

  • Dr. Trevor Hamilton, hamiltont9@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Pharmacological and environmentally-induced changes in fish behaviour

School of Social Work

  • Dr. Hellen Gateri, gaterih@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Social justice, racialized immigrants
  • Dr. Lun Li, lil53@macewan.ca
    Research topics: Suicide behaviours, ethno-cultural minority groups, mental illness, aging, immigration