What is SURE? Overview fall 2022

Registration and FAQs

All undergraduate students conducting course-based or faculty-led research projects at the University of Saskatchewan (or interested in doing research now or in the future) are welcome to take part in SURE: Student Undergraduate Research Experience. Students taking co-op or internship positions are also welcome to join. 

Note: all students at USask conducting research must be supervised, and all research must be pre-approved (if required) by the relevant ethics committee.  Do not start a research project or conduct any research unless you are approved and supported to do so. Scholarly and artistic research projects may be completed independently if they meet ethics standards for that discipline.

Students who register in SURE will be eligible to receive co-curricular credit by completing a minimum ten hours of training, webinars, or events supported or delivered through SURE each term (fall, winter, or summer). Students keep their own record of which webinars, training or events they attend. At the end of each term, they submit their hours and, if qualified, SURE is added to their co-curricular record.

SURE also partners with the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for the annual Summer Symposium, and with the USSU to support the Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Please email undergraduate.research@usask.ca with questions. 


Students in SURE must complete 10 hours of training, from the following categories: 
Communication: 2 hours minimum
Research ethics, safety, management and analysis: 2 hours minimum
Professional Development/Entrepreneurship: 2 hours minimum
The remaining 4 hours can be chosen to respond to the student's experiences, disciplinary needs, and to focus on any areas with need support or improvement. 

Remember: all research conducted at USask must be supported via a supervisor or within a course-based research experience. Scholarly and artistic projects may be completed independently if they meet the ethics criteria of that discipline. 

SURE now uses an ongoing registration format. By signing up, you agree to receive emails from the SURE program. You may unsubscribe from our email list at any time. 

We also recommend following the Undergraduate Research Initiative on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. Find those links here.

Join SURE: Student Undergraduate Research Experience! 

Webinars, Training and Events

Welcome to SURE fall 2022! 

Event Date/time Location Registration
SURE: What is SURE? Introduction to Undergraduate Research at USask Wednesday September 14th at 12 noon Thorvaldson 159 and Zoom
The Research Landscape at USask: How does research work at university? Monday September 19th at 12noon Thorvalson 159 and Zoom
How to Approach a Professor (for a research position) Monday September 26th at 3:30pm Thorvaldson 124 and Zoom
Roundtable: what is undergraduate research REALLY like? (past undergrad researchers) Monday October 24th at 3:30pm Thorvaldson 110

Creating and Delivering Oral Research Presentations Tuesday October 25th at 11:30am online via Zoom

Basics of Research Data Management Wednesday October 26th at 1:30pm online via Zoom
Roundtable: what do we look for in undergraduate research students? (faculty supervisors) Wednesday November 2nd at 4:00pm Thorvaldson 271
Faculty-Student Mixer for undergraduate research recruitment Wednesday November 16th at 3:30pm  Geology 265

NSERC USRA overview at USask Wednesday November 23rd at 12:30pm Thorv 159

How to Write an NSERC USRA Student Statement of Intent Monday November 28th at 11:30am Thorvaldson 159

How to write an excellent NSERC USRA application (session for faculty) Monday December 5th at 3:30pm Thorv 110

Fall SURE Symposium Online December 2022 Online

Link to fall Symposium - online

Communication is central to research skills. See above full program list for upcoming communications events or go to our YouTube channel for past webinars on communications


USask Library: The University of Saskatchewan Library Student Learning Services has a large number of upcoming and past/recorded webinars on research, communication and citations which are all eligible to go towards your SURE credit. Pick those that suit your needs! 

Writing Workshops

Research Workshops

Citations Workshops

Research Excellence and Innovation offered series of six online webinars and four live in-person Lunch and Learn events around Entrepreneurship in summer 2022. Recordings can be found on our YouTube site. 

 

Date Subject and speaker Registration
Tuesday May 31st So you want to be an entrepreneur? Business Basics 101 with Jenelyn Santos Ong Link to recording
Monday June 6th 11am Assessing a Business Idea Using Market Research with Christine Peng Link to recording
Monday June 13th at 11am Pathway to Commercialization with Erin Kulhawy Link to recording
Monday June 20th at 11am Introduction to Intellectual Properaty and Licensing with John Mapletoft Link to recording
Monday July 11th at 11am Intro to Business Model Canvas (snapshot business planning) with Chris Bowman Link to recording
Monday July 18th at 11am Storytelling Your Brand with special guests Ben Borne and Melody Lynch of Symmetry PR.  Link to recording

USask Safety Services training is eligible for SURE credit. The most common safety training for students includes: Covid-19 training, Biosafety training, Laboratory Safety, WHMIS 2015, and Safety Orientiation for Employees. All Safety courses qualify for SURE credit under Research Management.

Go to Safety Services training

Research Ethics: both human and animal research ethics training is eligible for SURE credit. Students actively working in human or animal research must take training. All ethics training goes under Research Management.

Training

Category

Link

Tri-Agency TCPSCore2 course on research ethics. 

Research management

Link to Tri-Agency TCPS Core2 Ethics

USask Animal Care and Research Support: Animal User Training

Research management

Link to Animal Care and Research Support - includes links to ethics training

USask library course on academic integrity

Research management

Link to Library course on academic integrity

USask Behavioural Research Ethics webinar

Research management

Link to USask Behavioural Research Ethics webinar

There are a number of past and upcoming SURE webinars on Professional Development. See Summer 2022 link below to view, or click below on our YouTube channel to view past events! 

USask Career Services offers many student-focused services, from career assessment (knowing your strengths/personality type to career readiness competencies) to one-on-one career planning (resumes, cover letters, practice interviews), through to professionalism in your online persona (LinkedIn and more) and career fairs, to connect you with potential employers. All USask Career Services events and activities qualify toward your SURE co-curricular credit under Professional Development. Take advantage today!

Go to Career Services website. 

The SURE program pulls from multiple units across campus to offer a wide range of suitable options for your SURE co-curricular credit. Some of these events are organized by the Undergraduate Research Intiative. Others (see below) are offered by USask library, Canadian Hub for Applied and Social Research (CHASR), USask Safety Services, USask Ethics, Tri-Council Ethics (TCPS Core 2), Research Excellence and Innovation, Career Services, and many more! Past SURE webinars can be watched for EQUAL CREDIT.

Event Date and Time Speaker Category Registration
So You've Got a Summer Research Job. Now What? Friday April 22nd 1pm Merle Massie Professional Development
SURE Summer 2022 Kickoff

Friday May 6th at NOON 

HYBRID online and in-person THORV125

Merle Massie Information
Comprehensive Searching for your Literature Review Monday May 9th 11am Angie Gerrard - Library Communications
How to Manage your Research Data (RDM summer program Part 1 -- all welcome) Tuesday May 10th 10:30am Kevin Read and Sarah Rutley - Library Research Management

How to Organize and Analyze your Literature Review Monday May 16th 3:30pm Jill McMillan - Library Communications
How to Read a Journal Article 11am Tuesday May 17th Merle Massie Communications
Indigenous Research Workshop: Dimensions of Ethical Principles in Indigenous Research 1pm-2:30pm Tuesday May 17th Research Acceleration and Strategic Initiatives Professional Development
How to Handle Imposter Syndrome 1pm Thursday May 19th Jaclyn McLean - Library Professional Development
How to Create a Research Data Management Plan: workshop for students registered in summer RDM program 1-3pm Wednesday May 25th Kevin Read and Sarah Rutley - Library Research Management
Powerful Pitches: Helping non-experts understand your research   Research Profile and Impact and URegina Communication
How to Write Your Literature Review 1pm Thursday May 26th Jill McMillan - Library Communications
Managing References with Zotero 11am Monday May 30th IN PERSON/HYBRID ONLINE Helen Power - Library Communications - In person THORV125 or online via Zoom
So You Want to Be an Entrepreneur? (Business Basics 101)  1pm Tuesday May 31st Jenelyn Santos Ong Research Exellence and Innovation Entrepreneurship series
Write/Right from the Start: Research, field and lab notebooks 11am Wednesday June 1st Merle Massie Communications
Assessing a Business Idea Using Market Research  11am Monday June 6th Christine Peng, Research Excellence and Innovation Entrepreneurship series
How to Practice Open Scholarship: Collaboration, Integrity, Transparency 11am Tuesday June 7th Kevin Read - Library Research Management
Pathway to Commercialization 11am Monday June 13th Erin Kulhawy - REI Entrepreneurship series
Photography for Research Purposes 11am Tuesday June 14th - HYBRID in person THORV and online via Zoom Christina Weese - professional photographer Research Management
Science Writing Made Easy 3:30pm June 15th Jill McMillan - Library Communications
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and USask Research 1pm Thursday June 16th Aditi Garg, Gwenna Moss Centre Professional Development
Entrepreneur Speaker Series: Building your Team Friday June 17th Lunch and Learn Alix Hayden REI and Stephen Foley (Excir Works) Entrepreneurship Series
Picture a Scientist: Documentary Screening

Friday June 17th at 2:30pm

Neatby-Timlin Theatre, Arts Building

Merle Massie 

 

Professional Development

This event was held wholly in person. If you have Netflix, it is streaming on Netflix right now. HIGH RECOMMEND to watch! 
Introduction to Intellectual Property and Licensing 11am Monday June 20th John Mapletoft REI

Entrepreneurship series

Research Management

Entrepreneur Speaker Series: From Researcher to Entrepreneur Noon Lunch and Learn Friday June 24th Alix Hayden REI and Samer BuHamdan (Amb.AI) Entrepreneurship series
Introduction to Business Model Canvas (quick business plans 101) 11am Monday July 11th Chris Bowman REI Entrepreneurship series
How to Tell a Research Story with Visuals (Charts, graphs, and tables) 11am Wednesday July 13th Michelle Boulton, 3C Publications Communication
Open Publishing 1pm Thursday July 14th DeDe Dawson - Library Research management
Storytelling Your Brand 11am Monday July 18th Special guests Ben Borne and Melody Lynch of SymmetryPR Entrepreneurship series
Publishing with USURJ 11am Tuesday July 19th USURJ editors Kandice Parker and Alina Sami Communications
Makeover 101 for your visuals (charts, graphs, and tables) 11am Wednesday July 20th Michelle Boulton, 3C Publications Communications
Copyright and Permissions for Research Publications 11am Thursday July 21st Kate Langrell, copyright coordinator USask Research Management
Entrepreneur Speaker Series: The Pivot Friday July 22nd Noon Lunch and Learn Alix Hayden REI and Melanie Morrison (BetterCart Analytics) Entrepreneurship series
How to Create a Research Poster 11am Wednesday July 27th Merle Massie RASI Communications
Establishing online identity and tracking scholarly impct 11am Monday August 8th HYBRID Presented by Candice Dahl, Library Professional Development
Networking and LinkedIn 11am Tuesday August 9th Ali Wehrcamp Career Services Professional Development
Writing a Journal Article 11am Wednesday August 10th Liv Marken Library Communications
Creating top cover letters and an effecting resume 1pm Thursday August 11th Dawne Warner Career Services Professional Development
Powerpoint is Not Your Friend 11am Monday August 15th Rebekah Bennetch Ron and Jane Graham School of Professional Development

Communications/

Professional Development

The Three Minute Pitch (for Symposiums) 11am Tuesday August 16th Merle Massie RASI

Communications

Acing the Interview 1pm Thursday August 18th Ali Wehrcamp Career Services

Professional Development

SURE Summer Symposium August 25th in person and HYBRID ONLINE Convocation Hall and online

Connection

Visit the online Symposium website (USask NSID needed to view)

 

SURE previously recorded webinars are all available for viewing. Viewing past webinars can count equally toward your SURE 10 hours for co-curricular credit. Follow the links below to SURE playlists on YouTube, where you can also subscribe and be notified when we add new videos.


Canadian Hub for Applied and Social Research- CHASRIf you're conducting social science research, past webinars offered by CHASR may help! Training in mixed methods design, survey design, NVIVO, triangulation, program evaluation, GIS, social network analysis, SPSS, and more. Any of these past recorded webinars can count towards your SURE credit, under Research Management.

CHASR YouTube Site


NOTE: if you are taking training in Python, Matlab, or any kind of coding or analytical program used in your discipline, those training hours can count towards Research Management in the SURE program. Take note of your training hours in these programs and count them towards SURE credit!


Mitacs training

Mitacs is a Canadian federal program to support students for industry and employment. Their extensive training curriculum combines in-person and online events. All Canadian postsecondary students may access this training for free. 

Mitacs courses surround eight unique course bundles, each consisting of an online, self-paced course and its corresponding instructor led sessions. The course bundle themes include: 

To register for a specific course, visit their EDGE portal. EDGE


Links to Undergraduate Research YouTube channel and other past webinars below:

Student Connection

The SURE program sponsors the Science, Research & Society Club.

VOLUNTEERS TO LEAD ARE WELCOME! 

Open to SURE participants and the wider campus community, this club aims to engage students in STEM and research across campus in two ways:

  • to create a safe space for students to discuss, analyze and question research articles, science concepts and ideas;
  • to explore the human aspects of science by having conversations about topics like imposter syndrome, representation in STEM and research and EDI (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion).

All registered SURE students will recieve updates, and events will be posted on PAWS. 

SURE supports a number of student social events throughout the year, including movie screenings, lab crawls, journal clubs, supervisor-student social events, SecretUSask and a student-led Discord channel amongst other ideas. Access to these spaces is via registration with SURE (see above). Registration for SURE is ongoing -- apply above!

SURE Symposiums

Registration is OPEN for the fall 2022 Symposium! 

The SURE: Student Undergraduate Research Experience fall Symposium celebrates student research work from all disciplines and all sources: course-based, independent, or faculty-supervised research, scholarly, or artistic work!

The SURE: Student Undergraduate Research Experience Fall 2022 Symposium is scheduled for Wednesday, December 7th 9am-4pm in Convocation Hall! 

All undergraduate students at USask who would like to showcase their research, scholarly, artistic, or applied projects are welcome to register!

Any faculty teaching a FYRE or research-based class (capstone, honours, experiential, project, or inquiry-based class including scholarly and artistic projects) are also welcome to register their class to showcase project work to the wider USask community. 

Registration: https://www.surveymonkey.ca/r/SUREFall2022Symposium

SURE Symposium 2022

 

Summer 2022 SURE Symposium online (USask NSID required to view)

Winners: 

Honourable Mentions:  Jesse Adrian Amanda Ewen Morgan Lehmann Tessa Lester Vanessa Brown

Third Place: Mykyta Shvets

Second Place: Leah MacFarlane

First Place: Chi Vu

img_2277.jpg
L to R: Dr. Baljit Singh, Mykyta Shvets, Leah Macfarlane, Chi Vu, Dr. Debby Burshtyn

 

 

SURE Research, Scholarly and Artistic Works Fall 2021 Symposium

Research Acceleration and Strategic Initiatives is pleased to announce our new SURE (Student Undergraduate Research Experience) RSAW (Research Scholarly and Artistic Works) Fall 2021 Symposium. This fall Symposium complements the SURE summer Symposium and the USSU Spring Symposium as an additional campus-wide symposium open to all undergraduate students in all disciplines.

Details: The Symposium was held online via Canvas between November 30th and December 7th. 

Symposium Winners: 

Honourable Mentions:

Katie Sofko: Changes in Tibial Articular Cartilage T2 Relaxation Time with Load – An in vivo Repeatability Study (authors Sofko KG, Elebute I, Cui L, Bzowey N, McWalter EJ) Engineering

Kayley Lawrenz: The Experience of COVID-19 in Rural Saskatchewan Long-term Care Homes (with Ivy Myge, B.A., Rebeca S. Pereira, BA., & Paulette V. Hunter, Ph.D.) Health Sciences

Yash Tendulkar: Experiences Supporting Videoconference Visits During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Rural Saskatchewan Long-term Care Homes (Supervisor Dr. Paulette Hunter) Health Sciences

 

Award winners: Second Place (three way tie)

Alina Sami: The Role of APOBEC3C Deoxycytidine Deaminases in Somatic Mutagenesis (supervisor Dr. Linda ChelicoHealth Sciences

Cindy Li: Design and synthesis of inhibitors for Glucocerebrosidase, a top biomarker and therapeutic target for Parkinson’s Disease (with Dr. Chris Phenix  Morshed Chowdhury) Physical and Life Sciences

Norah Ridley: An exploration of documents' privacy leaks (with Enrico Branca and Natalia StakhanovaComputer Science and Math

 

Top Award: First Place

Leah Houseman: "It’s a Violation of My Freedom”: Getting Informed, Social Media, and Face Mask Use in Canada (Supervisor Dr. Scott Thompson) Social Sciences and Business

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