Lakehead faculty members are encouraged to share this opportunity with any eligible undergraduate or graduate students working with them.

In preparation for the 2026 competition, Lakehead University is holding an internal competition to support up to two students’ submissions to the SSHRC Storytellers Competition. 

The SSHRC Storytellers Challenge is an annual competition that asks postsecondary students to demonstrate to Canadians, in up to three minutes or 300 words, how Social Sciences and Humanities research is affecting our lives, our world, and our future for the better. 

Who is Eligible to apply? 

All Lakehead University undergraduate and graduate students who are Canadian residents, 19 years of age or older, and who are working on a SSHRC-funded research project (either their own or their professor’s/supervisor’s) conducted at Lakehead University at the time of submission are eligible to apply. These requirements are determined by SSHRC. 

NOTE: The Storyteller’s Challenge is only open to postsecondary students (i.e., undergraduate or graduate level). It is not open to postdoctoral researchers. It is also not open to SSHRC employees and their immediate family members and those living in the same household (whether legally related or not). 

Previous winners are eligible to enter the Storyteller’s Challenge if: 

1. the research featured in their submission is materially different, as determined by SSHRC, from that of their previous winning submission(s); and 
2. they meet all other eligibility requirements. 

What is required to apply? 

Eligible students must create a video or audio clip of up to three minutes or a text or infographic of up to 300 words that showcases the SSHRC-funded research in a compelling, creative, and clear manner. 

Lakehead University’s Internal Call for Applications 

In preparation for the 2026 Storytellers Challenge, Lakehead University is holding an internal competition to support up to two students’ submissions to the SSHRC Storytellers Competition. 

Some funding will be available to support up to two students’ submissions. A review committee will consider all eligible applications, and recommend up to two students’ submissions for internal funding and support. Funds can be used to help in the filming and production of either a three minute video, text, infographic, or audio file. 

Support will also be available for planning and producing the final submission, including script development and, for videos, filming support on campus (if required). 

Application Process and Requirements: 

Please complete the application, linked here by Friday, June 20, 2025 at 11:59PM. 

Selection Process 

A review committee will be established to evaluate and rank applications according to the three areas outlined by SSHRC: 1) Creativity/Engagement (compelling your audience), 2) Persuasiveness (communicating the impact), and 3) Clarity (explaining the research). The committee will make a final recommendation to the Vice-President, Research and Innovation. 

Successful applicants will be notified by the end of June 2025. It is expected that recipients will begin working on these projects in the spring/summer term and complete the project by the beginning of November 2025. The SSHRC Storyteller’s Challenge submission period will open in November 2025 and close by January 15, 2026. 

For questions regarding this opportunity, please contact Dr. Batia Stolar, Associate Vice President, Research and Graduate Studies at: admin.research@lakeheadu.ca 

The Office of Research Services wishes to advise all members of the Lakehead University research community regarding essential security protocols when traveling to the United States for research purposes, conferences, or academic activities. 

Global Affairs Canada has established specific guidance and resources that all researchers should be aware of prior to undertaking travel to the United States. These protocols have been developed to ensure the safety, security, and successful completion of international research activities.

CAUT TRAVEL ADVISORY UPDATE

The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) has recently issued an important supplement to their advisory on travel to the United States. CAUT strongly recommends that academics review options for remote attendance and travel only if necessary. They advise particular caution for:

• Researchers whose work could be perceived as being at odds with current US administration positions

• Those who have expressed negative opinions about the US administration or its policies

• Citizens or residents of countries with diplomatic tensions with the US

• Travelers with passport stamps from certain countries

• Transgender travelers or those whose documents indicate a sex other than their sex assigned at birth

 For the full CAUT advisory, please visit the CAUT News Article

Key Travel Security Protocols:

1. Review the official Travel Advice Page for the United States: https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/united-states

2. Register with the Registration of Canadians Abroad service: https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/registration

3. Note emergency contact information for Canadian Citizen Services in the US: 1-844-880-6519

4. Additional emergency contacts include:

• Toll-free: 1-888-949-9993

• Collect calls: +1 613-996-8885

• Text message: +1 613-686-3658

• WhatsApp: +1 613-909-8881

• Email: sos@international.gc.ca

• X/Twitter: @TravelGoC and @CanadaFP

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/travelGoC

Lakehead University Travel Recommendations

When traveling to the United States, it is advisable for researchers to familiarize themselves with the health insurance coverage provided through the University benefits. To review the specifics of your travel-related benefits, please consult your benefits booklet, which can be accessed via your Green Shield account or through the Human Resources benefits webpage.

In addition to the benefits booklet, please refer to the Travel Benefits Booklet, which is available on the travel webpage. This document provides comprehensive information regarding travel-related coverage, including emergency contact numbers and steps to follow in case of an emergency.

Key Points to Remember:

• Verify Your Coverage: It is important to review your travel benefits thoroughly to ensure you understand what is covered, including medical services while abroad.

• Emergency Protocol: In the event of an emergency, it is essential to follow the correct procedures to ensure your coverage is activated. Failure to confirm eligibility or obtain necessary authorizations could result in additional out-of-pocket expenses or a lack of coverage.

• Contact Information: If you have specific questions regarding your coverage or need assistance in locating information in your benefits booklet, please contact Green Shield directly. For general inquiries or assistance with benefits-related questions, you may also reach out to benefits.hr@lakeheadu.ca.

Please take the time to familiarize yourself with this information before your trip to ensure you are properly prepared.

Electronic Device Security Alert

The Office of Research Services has received reports of increased scrutiny of electronic devices at US border crossings. Border officials may request access to phones, laptops, and other devices, with the possibility of examining content that could be deemed politically sensitive or controversial, which could lead to refusal of entry.

As the CAUT advisory notes, searches of electronic devices may compromise research confidentiality and academic freedom. Recent incidents include academics being denied entry after border officials discovered content on their devices that was perceived as critical of US policies.

To minimize potential complications, we strongly recommend that researchers:

1. Travel with minimal electronic devices when possible

2. Use dedicated travel devices containing only the essential information needed for your trip

3. Prior to travel, review and remove any content that could potentially be considered controversial

4. Consider cloud storage solutions that can be accessed after crossing the border via a secure VPN

5. Be aware that social media accounts, email, and other digital content may be subject to examination

6. Ensure all devices have strong password protection and encryption

7. Carefully consider whether your research content could be perceived as controversial, given the current US political climate

The Office of Research Services strongly recommends adherence to these protocols to mitigate potential risks and ensure uninterrupted research activities while abroad.

For specific travel security inquiries, Global Affairs Canada's Travel Advice, Outreach and Engagement Division may be contacted directly at: Outreach-Mobilisation.CEA@international.gc.ca

The Office of Research Services is closely monitoring international research security developments and will provide additional guidance as circumstances warrant.

For further information or to discuss specific concerns, please contact Andrew Austin, Research Security and Data Management Specialist, Office of Research Services at security.research@lakeheadu.ca or by telephone at Ext. 8190.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Overview

• Workforce Development Stream:  The intent of the Workforce Development Stream is to strengthen and develop Northern Ontario’s workforce through business partnerships by offering internships.  
• Indigenous Workforce Development Stream:  The intent of the Indigenous Workforce Development Stream is to strengthen and develop Northern Ontario’s Indigenous workforce through business partnerships by offering internships to Indigenous persons.

Under this program, covering both streams, Lakehead University has a quota of five research-related placements.  Of these five, two will become available this year:  One will be available at the end of May 2025 and the other one will become available at the end of September 2025.  The internal deadline for the submission of internship applications to the Office of Research Services is May 5, 2025.   Please note that you will need to create an account on the NOHFC website in order to create an application, however please do not submit your application to the NOHFC.   Instead,  please email a copy of your application as a PDF file to Andrew Hacquoil, Research Facilitator (Institutional Programs), Office of Research Services, at ahacquo1@lakeheadu.ca. 

If more than two internship applications are received, an internal competition will need to be held.   Applications will be reviewed and ranked by the Senate Research Committee (SRC).  The SRC will then make a recommendation to the Vice-President, Research and Innovation regarding which applications should be submitted to the NOHFC. Please note that preference will be given to applicants who have not held an NOHFC research intern in the past three years.

Lakehead University is pleased to again announce  two programs in support of community-engaged research with community organizations, not-for-profit partners, as well as Indigenous communities and partners. We invite all tenure-track, tenured and three-year limited-term appointment Lakehead faculty members who are eligible to apply to the disciplines supported by SSHRC to submit applications to either the 2025 Community-Engaged Research Grant (CERG) Program or to the Indigenous Research Capacity Development Grant (IRCDG) Program. Applicants are not eligible to submit applications to both programs.  The deadline for applying is March 24, 2025. For both of these calls, Lakehead University will provide total funding of $60,000 for the following types of research initiatives:

1.    Research funds to support community-engaged research where there is evidence of an existing partnership with a community organization or Indigenous community (up to $15,000 over one year).

2.   Partnership development seed funds to support planning activities with new community partners and/or Indigenous Communities, including travel, meetings, workshops, etc. (up to $7,500) over a one-year period).

For more information, please click here.

NSERC's Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) program supports the training and mentoring of teams of highly qualified students and postdoctoral fellows from Canada and abroad through the development of innovative training programs that:

• encourage collaborative and integrative approaches, and address significant scientific challenges associated with Canada’s research priorities, and 
• facilitate the transition of new researchers from trainees to productive employees in the Canadian workforce

For this year's competition, the NSERC CREATE program will still include the regular and international streams (as in the past, the international stream is linked to the German research foundation, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)). The 2026 CREATE competition will also involve a special theme area related to genomics.  Internal expressions of interest are due in the Office of Research March 3, 2025.  For information on Lakehead's NSERC CREATE LOI allocation as well the internal submission process, please click here.

The purpose of the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Fund (UROF) is to support third- and fourth-year undergraduate research projects that are being conducted in partnership with a community partner within a municipality. Each application can request up to $1,000 to support eligible project costs. The UROF is meant to foster undergraduate students’ interest in research and support them in experiential learning under the supervision of a Lakehead University faculty member. Deadline for applications: February 14, 2025.

For more information, please click here.

The Lakehead University Research Chairs Program recognizes high-quality research, scholarly and creative achievement, by providing a two‐year research grant to support an individual’s program of research. The LURC program is a key initiative in retaining outstanding research talent at our institution, a goal consistent with Lakehead’s Research Plan. Lakehead University is strongly committed to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in all aspects of the University. Lakehead recognizes the value in all types of research, including but not limited to non-traditional research areas, both traditional and non-traditional research outputs, and community-based research, in addition to the value in mentoring, professional service, the formation of partnerships, and outreach activities.

Lakehead University is seeking applications for two (2) new 2025-2027 Lakehead University Research Chairs, one (1) in the disciplines supported by SSHRC/CIHR and one (1) in the disciplines supported by NSERC/CIHR.

Value of Award
Up to $45,000 as a research grant (up to $22,500/year) tenable over two years beginning April 1, 2025. 
 
Application Process
Applications must be submitted via the Romeo Research Portal no later than 4:30 PM on March 1, 2025. For more information, please refer to the following link for the LURC call for applications and eligibility details.  Please contact Anne Klymenko, Director, Research Services at aklymenk@lakeheadu.ca any additional questions regarding this call.

Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) – Workforce Development Stream / Indigenous Workforce Development Stream Regular (administrative) Internships:  

• One Position Available

Overview

Workforce Development Stream:  The intent of the Workforce Development Stream is to strengthen and develop Northern Ontario’s workforce through business partnerships by offering internships.  

Indigenous Workforce Development Stream:  The intent of the Indigenous Workforce Development Stream is to strengthen and develop Northern Ontario’s Indigenous workforce through business partnerships by offering internships to Indigenous persons.

Lakehead University will have one NOHFC administrative-related internship (out of its quota of two administrative-related placements) become available after the end of November 2024 through the NOHFC Workforce Development / Indigenous Workforce Development Streams.  The internal deadline for the submission of regular internship applications to the Office of Research is December 2, 2024. Please email a copy of your NOHFC application to Andrew Hacquoil, Research Facilitator (Institutional Programs), Office of Research, at ahacquo1@lakeheadu.ca.  Do not submit your application to the NOHFC. Note that you will need to create an account on the NOHFC website in order to create an application. If more than one application is received, an internal competition will need to be held to determine which application will be submitted to the NOHFC.  Final decisions will be made by the Executive Team Working Group.

• Important Note:  Under this NOHFC administrative internship call, priority will be given to applications from Lakehead University administrative units.

Eligible Candidates/Costs

Salaries/wages and employer’s portion of Mandatory Employment Related Costs (MERCs) (e.g.: Canada Pension Plan, Employment Insurance, mandatory minimum vacation pay, as per Employment Standards Act) for a limited-term internship position of 52 weeks (with at least 35 hours of work per week) for candidates that:

• Are new entrants into the workforce, are transitioning to a new career, or the unemployed or underemployed who are entering a new field;
• Have not previously participated in a NOHFC-funded internship;
• Are at least 18 years of age; and
• Reside, and be legally entitled to work, in Canada.
• For the Indigenous Workforce Development Stream:  Identify as an Indigenous person, including First Nation, Metis, or Inuit.  

Review Criteria

Applications will be reviewed according to the following criteria:

• The extent to which the position addresses a labour shortage or supports the development of a skilled trade or profession in Northern Ontario;
• The opportunity for the placement to result in a full-time, permanent job with the applicant or another Northern Ontario business;*
• The quality of the skill development opportunity and the potential for the position to provide specific and recognizable transferable skills, and 
• The quality of the position’s work/training plan and direct onsite supervision methods.   

*Please note that applicants, in order to demonstrate the possibility of the internship resulting in permanent employment, must outline in their application:

• How the internship could result in a permanent job with the applicant, or

• How the skills and training acquired by the intern by working with the faculty member on the proposed project will make them more employable in a certain field or industry (please give specific examples from your project that will show what skills and training will be acquired by the intern).

Applications that indicate no employment opportunities will result, will be declared ineligible and removed from the internal competition.

Funding

For eligible municipalities, Indigenous communities and not-for-profit organizations, funding is in the form of a conditional contribution of up to 90% of an intern’s salary and employer’s portion of MERCs to a maximum of $35,000 per year. It is important to note that the applicant must provide the remaining 10% of the cost of the intern.  Therefore, when submitting your internship application to the Office of Research Services, A separate statement of where the required matching funds (plus benefits) will come from must be provided as well. This would include the related internal budget code.  Applications submitted by the December 2, 2024 internal deadline without information on matching funds will be considered ineligible in the internal competition. 

Overview

• Workforce Development Stream:  The intent of the Workforce Development Stream is to strengthen and develop Northern Ontario’s workforce through business partnerships by offering internships.  
• Indigenous Workforce Development Stream:  The intent of the Indigenous Workforce Development Stream is to strengthen and develop Northern Ontario’s Indigenous workforce through business partnerships by offering internships to Indigenous persons.

Under this program, covering both streams, Lakehead University has a quota of five research-related placements.  Of these five, two are currently available, and one will be available in January 2025.  The internal deadline for the submission of internship applications to the Office of Research Services is November 1, 2024.   Please note that you will need to create an account on the NOHFC website in order to create an application, however, please do not submit your application to the NOHFC.   Instead,  please email a copy of your application to Andrew Hacquoil, Research Facilitator (Institutional Programs), Office of Research Services, at ahacquo1@lakeheadu.ca. 

If more than three internship applications are received, an internal competition will need to be held.   Applications will be reviewed and ranked by the Senate Research Committee (SRC).  The SRC will then make a recommendation to the Vice-President, Research and Innovation regarding which applications should be submitted to the NOHFC.