CUBE

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CUBE
Club for Undergraduate Biomedical Engineering
How to Find a Summer Biomedical Research Position
Trisha Roy, Alex Shen November 28, 2006
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Meeting Overview
1. Summer Undergraduate Research _at_ UofT

2. Sources of Funding
3. How to Approach a Professor
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1. IBBME Summer Student Program
How it works

• -Research opportunity under an IBBME professor
• Students submit a general application
• Letter of intent resume transcript
• DEADLINE FEBRUARY 1, 2007
• 2. Professors will choose students from this
  general applicant pool

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1. IBBME Summer Student Program
How it works

• -OR-
• Students can directly contact an IBBME professor
  BEFORE THE DEADLINE
• Students who have already been accepted by a
  professor are more likely to receive the IBBME
  summer funding (but remember there are other
  funding opportunities!)
• However, there are several professors who are
  only willing to take students from the general
  applicant pool

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2. Samuel Lunenfeld Program _at_ Sick Kids Hospital
How it works

• -Research opportunity in Hospital for Sick Kids
  under the supervision of an institute scientist
• There is no general applicant pool
• 2. Students apply DIRECTLY to professors listed
  on the program website
• Resume transcript reference
• DEADLINE JANUARY, 2007

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3. Department of Medical Biophysics Summer
Program
How it works

• Applicants must submit an ONLINE application
  form resume cover letter transcript 2
  REFERENCES
• Applicants can indicate preferred areas of
  research plus potential supervisors
• Professors select students from general pool, but
  you can also contact them directly
• DEADLINE EARLY JAUNARY

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4. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
How it works

• Applicants must complete a general application
  form plus transcript and statement of intent
• You may select a 3 professors to meet. You will
  then rank these professors on the application
  form
• If the professor decides to fund you fully, you
  are automatically entered into the program
• If not, then your application will be placed into
  an applicant pool for various student stipends
  and awards within the faculty of pharmacy
• Deadline January 31, 2007

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5. Opportunities in Engineering Departments
How it works

• Approach professors of interest directly and ask
  them to be your supervisor
• Need to apply for funding through individual
  departments (ie. NSERC)
• Watch out for emails in January and February
  regarding deadline and opportunities

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Meeting Overview
1. Summer Undergraduate Research _at_ UofT

2. Sources of Funding
3. How to Approach a Professor
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• NSERC USRA

How it works

• NSERC Natural Sciences and Engineering Research
  Council of Canada
• Awards have a value of 4500 for a minimum of 16
  weeks. Your supervisor must top off this amount
  by at least 25
• TOTAL MIN AWARD VALUE 6000

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• NSERC USRA contd

How it works

• Students find a potential supervisor who will
  take them on as a research student IN THE EVENT
  that the student receives the award
• Potential supervisors must already be NSERC grant
  holders.
• Potential supervisors will help students fill out
  their application form in terms of a research
  project description

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• NSERC USRA contd

Applying for the award

• Each department (civil, ECE, chem, MSE, etc) has
  a limited number of awards for students in that
  department. (10 per department)
• Engineering Science DOES NOT have their own set
  of awards but can apply to awards in other
  departments
• The potential supervisor (professor) must be a
  member of or cross-appointed to whatever
  department you are submitting your application
  to.

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• NSERC USRA contd

Applying for the award

• IBBME, however, only has 6 departmental NSERC
  awards. IBBME usually prefers engsci students in
  the selection of these awards.
• In all other cases, all other departments prefer
  their own students. For example, the ECE
  department will prefer an ECE student
• If your potential supervisor is cross-appointed
  in two departments, you can only apply to ONE of
  their affiliated departments

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• NSERC USRA contd

How it works

• To be ELIGIBLE to receive an award you must have
  a cumulative B average.
• However, applications for NSERC awards are
  extremely competitive applicants are ranked
  primarily according to university grades.
• Application deadline is around the beginning of
  February depending on the various departments.
  (MIE Feb 1, MSE Feb 6)

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2. University of Toronto Excellence Awards
How it works

• While NSERC is only open to Canadian citizens and
  permanent residents, this award is open to VISA
  students as well.
• Eligibility Cumulative B average required
• Award 6000 minimum (as for NSERC)
• Same application process and deadlines as NSERC

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3. McAllister Summer Research Award
Applying for the award

• Open to VISA students as well.
• Award amount is in 3000 in value
• Supervisor may/may not top this amount off
• Unlike the NSERC, the McAllister Research award
  takes into account financial need in addition to
  grades

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3. McAllister Summer Research Award contd
Applying for the award

• McAllister Awards are available through the
  Chemical Engineering and ECE Departments.
• Again, students must find a potential supervisor
• The supervisor must be affiliated with either of
  the above two departments.
• Deadline to apply is usually during the first
  week of March

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4. HRSDC
Applying for the award

• HRSDC Human Resources and Skills Development of
  Canada
• This is NOT a research award
• This program is a wage subsidy initiative that
  enables public, private and not-for-profit
  employers to create career-related summer jobs
  for secondary and post-secondary students.

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4. HRSDC contd
Applying for the award

• HRSDC will pay the student minimum wage for the
  number of hours worked.
• As of Feb 1st, 2007, minimum wage in Ontario will
  be 8.00/hr
• Deadline to Apply March 31st, 2006
• (2007 deadline will be posted in December)

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5. Volunteering at the Lab

• If you are short on funding and research awards
  are not available, some supervisors are willing
  to take on volunteers at their lab.

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Meeting Overview
1. Summer Undergraduate Research _at_ UofT

2. Sources of Funding
3. How to Approach a Professor
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1. Initial Email Correspondence

• Look up professors and their research areas on
  the department websites to see what you might be
  interested in.
• E-mail the professor
• -State what year and program you are in
• -Tell them you are interested in their research
  and would like to meet and learn more about their
  research
• -Do not simply ask for a summer job in the e-mail

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2. Meeting the Professor

• Before meeting with the professor
• Read about their research and try to
  understand it
• Come up with intelligent questions
• Professors usually have different sub-areas of
  research. Find out which sub-area youre
  interested in. Tell them and ask questions.
• Mention that you are applying for funding and ask
  if he/she is willing to be your potential
  supervisor

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3. Meeting the Professor
What to Do

• If you dont think you will receive an NSERC
  award, come prepared with information on the
  HRSDC funding
• Because HRSDC funding is NOT a research award,
  many professors do not know about it and will be
  impressed that you were able to find your own
  funding.
• Potential supervisors are looking mostly for
  genuine interest in their research as well as
  dedication.
• Bring a CV (resume) and ROSI print-out of grades
• SHOW ENTHUSIASM!!

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4. Meeting the Professor
What Not to Do

• Although you have read up on the professors
  research beforehand, try not to simply
  regurgitate it all to impress them. Give them the
  chance to tell you a little bit about their
  research.
• Dont wait too late try to contact your
  professors right after the Christmas break.
• Dont be discouraged if they dont reply try,
  try again!

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CUBE
Questions?
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CUBE
Website http//www.cube.skule.ca General
Questions cube_at_cube.skule.ca Specific Questions
trisha.roy_at_gmail.com, yihao.shen_at_utoronto.ca A
list of summer research opportunities and contact
information will be provided