Introducing SUS Academia Week x OSE

By Cynthia Feng and Kira Smith

Office of Science Education team members Cynthia Feng and Kira Smith are working with members of the Science Undergraduate Society (SUS) on planning the next edition of the SUS’s highly anticipated Academia Week.

Inquiry is at the heart of the Office of Science Education (OSE)'s mission and opportunities to engage the McGill community in research are at the forefront of our priorities. This year, the OSE is excited to be joining forces with the Science Undergraduate Society (SUS), Teaching and Learning Services (TLS) and other partners to stage Academia Week, a rich and exciting series of events to inspire appreciation for scientific inquiry.

For over a decade, the SUS has made Academia Week a success with a winning formula of keynote presentations, lecture series, workshops, information sessions and seminars for students to learn about current research in science and opportunities available to them after graduation.

“Academia Week is a great opportunity for students to see the science they learn about in class in an interactive and dynamic setting,” say the SUS’s Academia Week directors Cem Parlar and Isaiah Williams.

“It's one thing to learn about concepts in a classroom setting, but there is always so much more that can be learned from seeing these concepts applied in tangible ways. Academia Week is about giving students the chance to engage with, and to learn more about, fascinating areas in science beyond what they may encounter in the scope of a typical course.”

Academia Week 2020 represents the first formal collaboration between the SUS and the Office of Science Education. For OSE director Marcy Slapcoff, the partnership makes total sense given her interest in exploring the links between research and teaching and learning. Spearheading TLS’s Inquiry Network and leading a number of design workshops for students, staff and faculty, Slapcoff has been engaged in exploring undergraduate research and ways of showcasing it since 2007.

“Asking questions is at the heart of a research institution, and students, faculty and staff at McGill all deserve the opportunity to engage in inquiry and find answers to unanswered questions,” she says.

“Our hope is that this year’s Academia Week will be a chance to showcase student work in and outside of the classroom, and engage students and other members of the community in conversations about new ideas.”