Undergrad researchers receive more than $25,000 at SU symposium

More than $25,000 was awarded to undergraduate researchers at a special ceremony Dec. 6. The winners of the 12th annual Students’ Union’s (SU) Undergraduate Research Symposium (URS) were announced in 16 different categories. A team of more than 15 judges made up of faculty and staff from the University of Calgary had the difficult task of determining the best submissions.

During the ceremony, Dr. Sheri Madigan, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology and a Canada Research Chair in Determinants of Child Development, presented a keynote. She shared her experiences on becoming a university researcher and clinical psychologist. Madigan’s research focuses on understanding how social stressors and adversities can influences a child’s early social, emotional and cognitive development.

This year, 95 students shared their research through poster presentations in Mac Hall on Nov. 30. The symposium provided a great networking venue for student researchers and a chance to meet a number of professional researchers. More than 250 members of the campus community took time to visit the symposium.

“We strive to make research accessible with URS,” says the SU’s VP Academic Tina Miller. “For our participants, it’s not only about producing quality work, but about ensuring that regardless of background or faculty, everyone can understand and engage with their findings.”

2017 Undergraduate Research Symposium winners:

Faculty of Arts (1 x $1,000)

• Una Mrdja

Cumming School of Medicine (4 x $1,000)

• Anamika Choudhary
• Harleen Kaur Hehar
• Amit Manocha
• Michelle Leong

 Faculty of Science (3 x $1,000, 1 x $500)

• Cassandra Bernadette Lindsay Klune
• Xin Ge Chen
• Sydney Leah Sparanese
• Runner Up - Sarah Hyslop

 Faculty of Kinesiology (1 x $500)

• Karamjot Kaur Sidhu

 Werklund School of Education (1 x $1,000)

• Sunaira Tejpar

 Schulich School of Engineering (2 x $1,000)

• Michael Jameson Francis
• Shaelyn Celeste Jones

 Faculty of Law (1 x $1,000)

• Jeffrey Nels Westman

 Office of the President (1 x $1,000)

• Jenny Qianyi Liao

 Office of the Vice-President (Research) (2 x $1,000)

• Manisha Bharadia
• Harsupreet Kaur Sidhu

 Office of the Vice-Provost (Libraries) (1 x $500, 1 x $250)

• Rachel Eirich
• Runner Up – Rahul Arora

 Provost’s Award for Excellence in Internationally-Focused Research (2 x $1,000)

• Marissa Nahirney
• Kehindre Ariyo

 The Judges’ Choice Award (1 x $1,000)

• Chantal Jeanette Snodgrass

 SU Sustainability Fund (1 x $1,000, 1 x $500)

• Joseph Mercado
• Runner Up – Cara Van Der Merwe

The Chancellor’s Award (1 x $1,000)

• XingYu Chen

 Programs in Undergraduate Research (PURE) Award (1 x $1,000)

• Bryan Ma

 Office of Diversity, Equity and Protected Disclosure Award for DEI Excellence (1 x $1,000)

• Olivia Grace Scully