Undergraduate Research @ Lakehead

Photo of Participants During Oral Session of Rita Nicholas Undergraduate Research Conference 2023

Whether you're just starting your academic journey or looking to take your learning beyond the classroom, this page is here to help you explore the exciting world of undergraduate research. Here, you'll find information about research opportunities on campus and learn about external funding specifically designed to support Lakehead undergraduates like you.

 

Lakehead University Undergraduate Research Opportunity Fund (UROF) opportunity

Deadline (extended): March 31, 2025

The purpose of the Undergraduate Research Opportunities 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. The UROF is funded by the Vice-President, Research and Innovation and is administered by the Office of Research Services.

Learn more about this opportunity

Undergraduate Research Ethics Committee (UREC)

Academic units that regularly engage in human participant research have an Undergraduate Research Ethics Committee (UREC) to review and monitor the ethical acceptability of all research involving humans conducted at the undergraduate level.

Lakehead University's Research Ethics Board (REB) delegates the authority for ethical review of undergraduate research projects of minimal risk to URECs. This includes any undergraduate course-based research projects and honours theses that involve research with human participants, and/or are a component of the pedagogical process.

Delegation to URECs is not appropriate when a student’s project is part of a faculty member’s own research program; such research must receive ethics approval from the REB. (Terms of Reference: REB; UREC)

Students applying to a UREC will use the forms on the Research and Innovation Forms page, including: Undergraduate REB Application; Request for Amendment; Renewal Request; and Final Report.

Rita Nicholas Undergraduate Research Conference

Photo of Participants During Poster Session of Rita Nicholas Undergraduate Research Conference 2023

The Rita Nicholas Undergraduate Research Conference celebrates the contributions of emerging researchers at Lakehead University. This conference provides an opportunity for undergraduate students to present a poster or an oral presentation on a research project they are working on or have completed while engaging in scholarly debate with their peers.  This event is held during Research & Innovation Week.

Undergraduate Funding Opportunities - In Canada

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council

Deadline: Jan 31 each year

Natural Resources Canada (NRC) 

Mitacs Inc.

  • Mitacs Accelerate (LIMITED Call)
  • Mitacs Business Strategy Internships (BSI)
Undergraduate Funding Opportunities - International

Contact: Jill Sherman, intl.research@lakeheadu.ca

Mitacs Inc. Globalink Research Awards

CAD$ 6,000 for research stays of 12-24 weeks

  • Standard: Globalink Research Award (GRA) - (Open Call - apply at least 4 months before intended travel) - GLOBAL
  • Thematic Call:  Deadline Nov 20, 2024 for Summer/Fall 2025 - LINK - Australia, Brazil, Chile, France, Germany, Korea, South Africa, Taiwan, UK.
  • Germany: Mitacs-DAAD RISE-Globalink Research Internship, Summer 2025 - OPENS October 15, 2024 - Deadline 30 November 2024 for Summer 2025 Research Internships (UNDERGRADUATE ONLY)   Click HERE for information.
    • DAAD RISE Information Session (Webinar)  - October 23, 2024 10:30 am EDT / 4:30 pm CEST  webinar link

CALAREO Global Skills Opportunity:       

CALAREO Opportunities 

Paused until funding is renewed.

Short-term opportunities that can be completed by Dec 31, 2024 may be considered for funding.

  • Latin America: International Research Mobility Experience Program (IRME)
    • Medium-term (12-16 weeks) research internships in Latin America, in collaboration with Mitacs - OPEN CALL  - Can be done as a co-op!
      • 2024 Call is now CLOSED.  Short-term internships may be eligible for funding, as long as travel can be completed by Dec 31, 2024.  Please contact calareo.research@lakeheadu.ca for more information.
    • Short-term (1-4 weeks) research internships in Latin America and the Caribbean - to accompany a Lakehead Faculty member  on a research project.  Must be nominated by the professor.
    • Short-term (2-4 weeks) Field school / study tours in Latin America and the Caribbean, lead by a Lakehead Faculty member.   Must be nominated by a faculty member.
      • Short-term schools / courses with other member or partner institutions may also be eligible for funding. For example, 
 

Brazil: Federal University of Ouro Preto (UFOP) - Research Internships

Deadlines:
October 31, 2024 for internships between February and July 2025
April 30, 2025 for internships between July and December 2025

UFOP Fact Sheet

Undergraduates and graduate students can choose from over 30 internships in various disciplines. View internships

Students *may* be able to apply for a Mitacs GRA. For more information and application instructions, please contact Jill Sherman, intl.research@lakeheadu.ca

Finland:  Aalto Science Institute (AScI) - International Summer Research Program

Deadline:
January 31, 2025 for Summer 2025

Call for applications: 07-31 January 2025. Opportunities for undergraduate and master's students to work as research assistants on 12-week projects. The program pays a stipend (min. 2,000 Euros/month) that will cover living expenses, plus up to 800 Euros toward travel expenses (for those outside th EU).  AScI also provides support for housing and visas.  All nationalities are eligible.  There are 50+ positions available in:

  • Dept of Electrical Engineering and Automation
  • Dept of Information and Communication Engineering
  • Dept of Civil Engineering
  • Dept of Applied Physics
  • Dept of Computer Science
  • Dept of Industrial Engineering and Management
  • Dept of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering

There will be two Q&A zoom meetings (Zoom links to be posted on this page.)

  • Thursday, January 9, 16:00 EET / 9:00am EST
  • Thursday January 15, 16:00  EET / 9:00am EST

France: The ORA University Student Exchange Program (Ontario/Rhône-Alpes)

ORA University Student Exchange Program

The ORA Exchange program funds study and research opportunities for undergraduates and graduate students at 10 universities in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. Must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Watch a presentation about the program

  • Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 
  • Université Lumière Lyon 2 
  • Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3 
  • Ecole Centrale Lyon 
  • INSA Lyon 
  • Ecole normale supérieure Lyon 
  • Université Jean Monnet Saint-Etienne 
  • Université Savoie Mont-Blanc 
  • Université Grenoble Alpes 
  • Grenoble INP – UGA

Summer Research Program (SRP).  Funding for summer 2025 research students is CAD 1,500 plus a stipend from the lab. Could possibly be combined with a Mitacs GRA award. Click HERE for more info. 

Germany: OBW Exchange Program - Ontario/Baden-Württemberg

OBW Exchange Program

Deadline: TBA

The OBW exchange programs offers study, language courses, and summer research placements to Ontario undergraduates and graduate students at nine universities in the state of Baden-Württemberg:

  • Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
  • Ruprecht-KarlsUniversität Heidelberg
  • Universität Hohenheim
  • Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
  • Universität Konstanz
  • Universität Mannheim
  • Universität Stuttgart
  • Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen
  • Universität Ulm

Funding for Summer 2025 TBA.  OBW funding is exclusively available to Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents, however international students may participate.  Additional funding may be available through the Mitacs Globalink Research Award program.  

Germany: German Universities of Applied Sciences - UAS7 Internship Program 

Deadlines:

  • Fall: February 15th
  • Spring/Summer: October 1st

The UAS7 are a group of Universities of Applied Sciences in Germany, offering internships to students in North America.  Some of the internships offer a travel scholarship of 1,000 Euros. Students accepted to internships may be able to apply to the Mitacs GRA program for financial support.  Graduate students may also participate in internships.  FULL LIST HERE.


Saudi Arabia: KAUST Visiting Student Research Program (VSRP) - STEM Disciplines

The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) is a private research university in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.  KAUST is offering research internships to 3rd/4th year Bachelors or Masters students through their Visiting Student Research Program (VSRP).  Students receive a travel costs, housing, health coverage, a monthly stipend (USD 1,000) and access to KAUST's world-class Core Labs and research facilities.  There are no citizenship requirements, open call (no deadline).   Over 150 internships on offer in all STEM related disciplines.