This page contains information for Summer 2013.
Summer 2013
Science Undergraduate Research Awards (SURAs) are for both Canadian and international McGill students registered in a science undergraduate program. SURA recipients will engage in 16 weeks of full-time research and development activity under the supervision of a McGill Science professor holding grant funding, and will gain research experience in an exciting academic setting, while receiving financial support. First offered in Summer 2007, SURAs are made possible by funding from generous donors, participating research supervisors, and the Faculty of Science. For Summer 2013, SURAs will be valued at $5600 minimum.
SURAs are broadly similar to the NSERC USRA; two differences are, on the student side, that international students may apply, and on the supervisor side, that they must hold a research grant from CRC, NSERC, CIHR, SSHRC, FQRNT, or FRSQ (it is not restricted to NSERC grantholders).
Description
- Value: $5600 minimum (source: donor and/or Faculty of Science, $2800; supervisor, minimum $2800);
- 16 weeks of full-time research;
- Awarded on the basis of academic merit, in accordance with departmental selection procedures;
- Also open to international students from McGill.
Student eligibility
SURA applicants must:
- Be registered in an undergraduate science program (includes B.Sc., B.A. [with a science major: Computer Science, Geography, Mathematics, Psychology...], B.A. Environment, B.A.&Sc., Dip. Env., Dip. Meteorology);
- Be registered at McGill (either Canadian and international students);
- Not concurrently hold an NSERC USRA or FRSQ USRA;
- Agree to provide a thank you letter to the relevant donors, if they are accepted for a SURA, following Faculty of Science guidelines and timelines.
Supervisor eligibility
Supervisors must
- Be Faculty of Science professors. (See list of Faculty of Science units below. Note that the Departments of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology, Pharmacology, and Physiology are part of the Faculty of Medicine, not Science.)
- Hold a research grant from:
- CRC (Canada Research Chairs),
- NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada),
- CIHR (Canadian Institutes of Health Research),
- SSHRC (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council), or
- FQRNT (Fonds québécois de la recherche sur la nature et les technologies);
- FRSQ (Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec);
How to apply; Deadline for student applications
To help find a supervisor, see the webpages for Science departments and schools; then, you can browse each unit's staff listing to find professors' research websites. You and your supervisor should apply using the forms given in the next section. However...
NOTE: If you have already applied for the NSERC USRA programme, you still need to complete the SURA forms. Your department may consider your NSERC USRA dossier, but you cannot receive a SURA if you do not sign the SURA forms.
Students apply through the unit (school or department) of their proposed supervisor. Each unit has its own selection process. Here are contacts and deadlines:
Here is contact information for units in the Faculty of Science:
| Department or School | Contact person | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences | paula [dot] domingues [at] mcgill [dot] ca (Ms. Paula Domingues) | Monday, March 25, 2013 |
| Biology | susan [dot] gabe [at] mcgill [dot] ca (Ms. Susan Gabe) | Thursday, March 21, 2013 |
| Chemistry | Dr. Samuel Sewall | Friday, March 22, 2013, 5:00pm (Submit applications to Dr. Sewall's mailbox in Chemistry Main Office, Otto Maass Building, Room 322) |
| Computer Science | ann [dot] jack [at] mcgill [dot] ca (Ms. Ann Jack) | Tuesday, March 19, 2013 |
| Earth and Planetary Sciences | kristy [dot] thornton [at] mcgill [dot] ca (Ms. Kristy Thornton) | Friday, March 22, 2013 |
| Geography | undergrad [dot] geog [at] mcgill [dot] ca (Ms. June Connolly) | Wednesday, March 27, 2013, noon |
| Mathematics and Statistics | angela [dot] white [at] mcgill [dot] ca (Ms. Angela White) | Friday, February 22, 2013 |
| Physics | Prof. Ken Ragan | Friday, February 22, 2013 |
| Psychology | julia [dot] marussi [at] mcgill [dot] ca (Ms. Julia Marussi) | Thursday, March 21, 2013, noon |
| Redpath Museum: Apply through Biology | susan [dot] gabe [at] mcgill [dot] ca (Ms. Susan Gabe) | Thursday, March 21, 2013 |
Forms for students and supervisors
NOTE: If you have already applied for the NSERC USRA programme, you still need to complete the SURA forms. Your department may consider your NSERC USRA dossier, but you cannot receive a SURA if you do not sign the SURA forms.
- SURA Application Form: Part 1, Student [PDF; personal data]
- SURA Application Form: Part 2, Supervisor [PDF; project proposal]
- Student's unofficial transcripts
Related programs and additional opportunities
- NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award
- FRSQ Undergraduate Student Research Award
- Other opportunities (generally outside McGill University)
Further information
Please contact the department where you wish to hold the awards; please see the contacts above. For general questions you may also contact victor [dot] chisholm [at] mcgill [dot] ca (Victor Chisholm), Undergraduate Research Officer, Tel.: 514-398-5964.