Undergraduate researchers shine at Experiential Education Fair
The Fair showcased undergraduates’ research projects and taught students how they can engage in experiential learning.
On September 25, as a quiet fog encroached on campus, the Kaneff Centre Rotunda was abustle with activity for the Experiential Education Fair. Organised by the University of Toronto Mississauga’s (UTM) Experiential Education Unit (EEU), the annual event is meant to help students network and learn about practical learning opportunities.
From 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., dozens of undergraduate students presented their research to peers, staff, and faculty, who moved freely about the venue. Each presenter was stationed at a portable partition board, upon which hung a poster of their summarised research project.
Topics at the showcase stemmed from subjects including microbiology, machine learning, environmental science, and social psychology, among many others. Each presentation was the result of a months-long research project which undergraduates conducted alongside peers, graduates, and professors, as shared by some presenters in on-site interviews with The Medium.
One presenter, fourth-year biophysics specialist Yousif Al-Jarrah, saw the Fair as an exciting opportunity to advance his studies. “It’s always interesting to get some feedback from my peers, especially those that study physics,” he said. “I assumed some professors would also show up and help me gain insight on some of the tools that I used, how I presented some of the things, and how I can improve some of the models I had.”
Al-Jarrah’s project centred on the application of machine learning to automatically categorise data sets. “This is my first time presenting any research, so I think it’s interesting to convey all the work I’ve been working on over the summer.”
Fourth-year psychology specialist and linguistics minor Noemi Caponi was similarly excited to finally have a chance to show off her research on how people respond to different accents.
She expressed that she is especially pleased with her project because she and her partners started it from scratch, so they had an intimate understanding of every detail of their research throughout. “This is a very prideful moment for me,” she said.
Caponi also said that she hoped her presentation would inspire other undergraduates to pursue research. “When I was in first year and second year, I was very intimidated by the fact that people go out and do research…. But when students pass by, I hope that they see that we’re also just regular students at the end of the day.”
Co-presenters Farhia Mohamud and Grace Dairo felt greatly privileged to be able to present at the Fair.
“For students like myself, a black individual, there aren’t many experiences or entry points into research that are being proposed,” conveyed Mohamud, a fifth-year specialising in psychology and minoring in forensics. “I got into the summer [research opportunity program], which is for black and Indigenous students. So for me to have done that for the summer and to do another presentation with the super program and then to now be here with the EEU cements my future pathway into psychology.”
Fifth-year neuroscience specialist Dairo agreed, adding that through presenting she hopes to shed light on experiential learning opportunities for fellow students. “I really want to help unmask the ways to get into research, because a lot of these opportunities are not visible. You only hear about them from professors when you’re in conversation with them or through announcements by departments.”
Each interviewee said that they intend to continue their research, noting that their presentations only showcase some of the work they’ve done so far.
Al-Jarrah still intends to improve his models. Caponi expects that her group’s preliminary research will enable them to conduct more comprehensive studies. Mohamud and Dairo, whose project centred on the community-engaged research approach, conducted their research as part of a four-year longitudinal study that will eventually impact on-campus programs and initiatives.
The Fair also featured information sessions that ran parallel to the undergraduate research showcase. The sessions, each presented by EEU staff, included an introductory presentation to experiential learning at UTM, information sessions about the Research Opportunity Program and the UTM Co-op Internship Program, and a question and answer session featuring student ambassadors.
The EEU had cancelled plans to host the Fair over a two-day period, with tabling, networking with employers, and additional information sessions originally slated for September 24. “This decision was made to ensure the event remains inclusive and accessible for everyone,” the EEU wrote in an email to this year’s registrants.
On November 4, the EEU will host its next event, “The Art of Mending” lecture by Professor Alison Syme, as part of the Lecture Me! series. The EEU’s full event roster is available on its website.
