Through a partnership with Alberta Innovates, 12 MacEwan students from across the university’s faculties and schools received funding to complete Summer Research Studentships (SRS) focused on the intersection of health and emerging technologies. The students worked with faculty supervisors over 14 weeks to research various health system issues before presenting their findings.
“Undergraduate research is one of the experiences that helps our students complement what they learn in the classroom. Our students are doing incredible work in solving real-world problems in health systems,” says Dr. Craig Kuziemsky, associate vice-president, Research. “This partnership with Alberta Innovates is part of developing our thematic area of scholarship in health and wellness systems in communities. The SRS projects not only allows us to showcase the talent we have in our student body, but also lets those students work with community partners on pressing societal issues to see the positive ways their research can impact the lives of Albertans.”
The issues that students chose to research varied greatly, from helping parents navigate their children’s transition from pediatric to adult health care, to delivering real-time diagnostics for stress hormone levels in blood and sweat samples. Over the course of the SRS program, students received a bi-weekly stipend to support their full-time research.
On August 7, each student participant had five minutes to present a summary of their research project, initial findings and ideas for possible scale up into real-world applications. They then faced a question period from the audience and a panel of judges – MacEwan’s Entrepreneur in Residence Tristan Ham, Health City CEO Reg Joseph and Jennifer Olson, acting chief innovation officer for Covenant Health.
Students with the top three presentations were awarded cash prizes.
Branden Otte won first place for his research into spatial working memory deficits in people who have suffered strokes.
“My ambition wasn't to receive any accolades,” says the Bachelor of Arts Honours Psychology student. “I just wanted to present my research. I was honestly astonished when they said my name.”
Fourth-year Bachelor of Science student Taylor Arnell came in second for her research into the outer membrane of a multidrug-resistant pathogen called Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Recent alum Josephine Moises, Bachelor of Arts ’24, earned third place for her project, which compared urban, sustainable food sources in Alberta.
The Alberta Innovates funding for the SRS program will continue into summer 2025, and will fund another 12 student research projects. Check the Office of Research Services website for more information on this and other opportunities for research funding.