For undergraduate students in STEM, a chance to acquire research experience before graduation can profoundly impact their trajectories – studies indicate that it can in fact be pivotal in their decision to pursue a career in the sciences. Securing such an opportunity, however, typically demands a high GPA, posing a significant hurdle to those students who face greater challenges during their undergraduate journey due to a variety of factors outside of their control, and who end up underrepresented in STEM fields. UCalgary Chemists for Inclusivity, Diversity and Equity (UC CIDE) aims to lower these barriers with the introduction of a new student-led program called STEM Unity at the University of Calgary (UC).
Our novel initiative is specifically aimed at students at UC who identify as belonging to equitydeserving or underrepresented groups (including but not limited to women, persons with disabilities, BIPOC individuals, first-generation students, those from low-income backgrounds, neurodiverse students, and members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community) who often experience significant systemic barriers in participating in various aspects of society, including traditional research and mentorship avenues. As participants in the STEM Unity program, they will have access to workshops, mentorship opportunities and hands-on research experiences to foster their sense of belonging in STEM, and help them build a valuable network to rely on for their future endeavours. The selection of participants will place greater importance on applicant’s stories, potential, and interpersonal skills, instead of solely being based on their GPAs.
First- and second-year undergraduate students accepted to the program will receive a 10-day STEM Unity Experience, including the valuable opportunity to shadow a researcher in their laboratory at UC. Third- and fourth-year students will be encouraged to apply to a paid 8-week part-time STEM UNITY Internship, offering applicable experience and practice with hands-on scientific research within UC research groups. Participating researcher mentors in the program will impart their crucial skills and knowledge to help students succeed in their field of study. All participants in the STEM Unity program will additionally be able to attend seminars, career development workshops and networking events organized by UC CIDE. Our large network of STEM communities at UC and beyond will be asked to actively contribute to creating and executing these seminars and workshops to provide participants with a breadth of information and inspiration about career possibilities in the sciences.
STEM Unity is committed to advancing EDIA (Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity & Accessibility) principles across the university by facilitating meaningful connections between underrepresented STEM students and researchers at UC. In forthcoming years, STEM Unity aims to enhance diversity among graduate students at UC by inspiring more underrepresented undergraduate students to pursue STEM research. Concurrently, this initiative will empower and benefit current graduate students and researchers by allowing them to assume leadership roles and serve as mentors within the STEM community.
UC CIDE extends its heartfelt appreciation to everyone at UC and beyond who have contributed to our fundraising goals. Special gratitude is reserved for the support received through UC’s Giving Days from April 4th to the 18th, during which time donations were generously matched by the Faculty of Sciences, significantly advancing STEM Unity’s endeavors. Furthermore, the Graduate Students Association at UC played a key role by providing essential funding for the STEM Unity Networking night on April 5th, where students could learn about this new program and engage with UC alums and industry representatives from around Calgary: notably, representatives from NOVA Chemicals, Summit Nanotech, SAIT, Fusion Technologies Inc., Ionic Solutions Ltd., EY, ZS2 Technologies and CIC were present, enriching the event for all attendees. We also like to thank CIC for supporting the event through CIC Student Chapter Grant. The development of the new STEM Unity initiative is only possible with the hard work and dedication of the entire UC CIDE team. If you wish to support our mission and contribute to the STEM Unity program, please don’t hesitate to contact us at CIDE@ucalgary.ca or ucalgarycide.org.