Fourteen projects have been awarded funding through a special 2025 Carleton University Experiential Learning Fund (CUELF) call. This call was made possible through funding from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).
CUELF provides support to create and enhance experiential learning for both undergraduate and graduate students in courses and disciplinary programs across the university.
Learn about these exciting projects that are underway:
Peter Andrée (Political Science) will offer the “Experiential Learning in Indigenous Environmental Politics” Temagami Colloquium, which will enable political science students to participate in, and reflect on, a land-based learning field experience focused on issues related to Indigenous self-determination and relations to the land in n’Dakimenan, the traditional territory of the Teme Augama Anishinaabe (TAA) in Northern Ontario.
Manjeet Birk (Feminist Institute of Social Transformation) will develop resources and enhancements for her VR experience HOME, which challenges participants to consider belonging and centering one’s experiences within a collective. The resources will support the integration of HOME and its themes into courses at Carleton.
Hima Dhulipati (Electronics) will obtain equipment for the POWER Lab to offer hands-on learning where students design, test and analyze motor controllers and power converters. These lab activities will address real-world engineering challenges such as improving system performance and managing electromagnetic interference, helping students develop practical skills for careers in energy systems, robotics and transportation electrification.
Nana aba Duncan (Journalism and Communication) will connect journalism students with La Converse, a Montreal-based independent publication. Through real-world editorial collaboration, students will apply inclusive journalism strategies, pitch and develop feature stories, and engage in critical reflection — gaining practical experience, professional skills and the opportunity to publish in a community-centered media outlet.
Juan Jimenez Garcia (Industrial Design) will integrate experiential prototyping into the graduate Studio to enhance design learning through hands-on, reflective and iterative practices. This project will support students in navigating complexity, fostering critical thinking and developing inclusive, process-oriented design solutions.
Andrew Harris (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering) will train the next generation of biomedical-mechanical engineering students by providing six new cutting-edge laboratories to empower students with the skills they need for a career in biomedical engineering.
Peggy Hartwick (Linguistics and Language Studies) will build a toolkit using Pressbooks that facilitates the integration of course or program-level experiential learning opportunities across disciplines. Designed in collaboration with Carleton students, faculty and staff, the toolkit will support faculty implementation and students practicing reflection and knowledge integration within a digital storytelling framework.
Robert Helal (Sprott) will offer the Sprott Strategy Bootcamp 2.0, which immerses first-year business students in experiential learning from day one. Through mentorship, industry speakers and their first case competition, students sharpen communication skills, build confidence and apply critical thinking in real-world scenarios. The bootcamp creates early momentum, professional connections and a strong foundation for future success.
Lisa Moffitt and Jerry Hacker (Architecture and Urbanism) will provide space, materials and equipment for students to construct physical models, material prototypes and large-scale mock-ups of building assemblies using earth, fiber and stone as structure, insulation and/or building enclosure. The project advances experiential learning throughout the MArch curriculum, advancing low-carbon, locally-sourced, toxin-free construction methods.
Amanada Montague (History), through the StudioDH initiative, will have graduate students engage in meaningful, community-driven digital projects that support inclusive and equitable city-building in Ottawa. CUELF students will work closely with Senior Watch Old Ottawa South (SWOOS) to co-create digital stories and raise awareness around pressing social issues.
Martha Mullally (Biology) will develop and investigate an immersive virtual reality (IVR) simulation to support visualization of gene expression, specifically examining the scalability of the developed IVR, and the capacity to make it collaborative and student driven.
James Opp (History) will partner with the City of Ottawa and Fairy Cowboy Tours to have practicum students in HIST 3815 digitize individual collections of photographs to produce a community archive that makes Queer History in the capital more visible and accessible.
Elliott Skeirszkan (Earth Sciences) will acquire equipment for students to measure aquifer properties, ground water resources and quality, and understand groundwater contamination through hands-on field and laboratory exercises spanning second to fourth year courses in Earth Science, Environmental Science and Engineering.
Rachelle Vessey (Linguistics and Language Studies) will have students participate in an applied research project and build their practical skills by using discourse analysis to examine real workplace-related texts. The project will make discourse analysis more relatable, increasing the effectiveness of learning and linking theory to practice.