Students participating in the Students as Partners Program (SaPP) and Internship-Carleton University Research Experience for Undergraduate Students (I-CUREUS) programs presented their completed projects at the SaPP & I-CUREUS Showcase on April 4.
The annual event celebrates the accomplishments of undergrad students in collaborating with instructors on course development or faculty-supervised research.
Over 200 undergraduate students participated in these two experiential learning programs this year, building their communication, teamwork, research skills, and applying their disciplinary knowledge in an impactful way.
I-CUREUS
Since it began in 2012, students participating in the I-CUREUS program have completed over 800 projects spanning various topics and disciplines.
This year’s participants worked on a range of projects with real-world applications, such as using organic fluorescent dyes to effectively analyze and quantify nanoplastics in water, improving the efficacy of treatment for iris melanomas, and making music learning more accessible using wearable devices.
Participating in I-CUREUS provides students with a unique learning opportunity and valuable experience that can be applied in their studies and beyond.
Student Aurora Tracy presenting at the SaPP & I-CUREUS Showcase
Aurora Tracy, a third-year student in the Neuroscience and Biology Honours program, participated in I-CUREUS under the supervision of Dr. Matthew Holahan to investigate the effect of aptamer molecules on the pathology of Parkinson’s Disease.
Among the lessons that Aurora learned is how to handle setbacks in research.
“Setbacks happen a lot in research. You need to have endurance and perseverance. I learned to push through and not give up and to troubleshoot by talking to people to come up with ideas.”
In addition to participating in the showcase this year, four Carleton undergraduate students joined more than 4000 other students from around the world to present their work at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in Long Beach, California. For students Marwa Djedouani (Physics), Shine Soki (Psychology), Emily Udle (Linguistics and Language Studies) and Janina Winnicki (Health Sciences), the conference was an opportunity to showcase their work, network, and build communication skills and learn from others.
Students as Partners Program (SaPP)
Launched in 2020, SaPP has grown to become the largest program of its kind in Canada.
SaPP provides undergraduate students with hands-on work experience gained through direct collaboration with instructors, librarians and teaching support staff on teaching innovation and course design projects.
This year’s participants (how many?) worked on projects that included strengthening students’ creative skills using social imagination, re-designing in-class activities for improved interaction and collaboration and assessing the utility of ChatGPT for literary studies.
Student Georgia Son presents at the SaPP & I-CUREUS Showcase
Georgia Son, a third-year honours student in English and Law, was drawn to SaPP after taking a course with Professor Morgan Rooney. When the opportunity came to revitalize the course, Son jumped at the chance to evaluate ChatGPT and develop a suite of resources to prepare students for tests and exams. In the process, Son gained valuable experience with H5P to create learning modules and a brand-new appreciation of course design.
“It opened my eyes about teaching,” says Son. “I gained so much insight into planning a course and teaching approaches. Being able to collaborate with a professor who is an expert in their field, is a great opportunity.”
Download the program summary to learn more about the projects presented at the SaPP and I-CUREUS Showcase.
