2023 Lassonde Undergraduate Research Awards Competition Now Open
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For the eighth year, students have an opportunity to develop their research skills over the summer while working on cutting-edge projects and getting paid with the Lassonde Undergraduate Research Awards (LURA) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Undergraduate Student Research Awards (NSERC USRA).
The Lassonde School of Engineering will host over 60 summer positions with two different awards run in one competition and valued at approximately $10,000 per award. Students will spend 16 weeks in summer working full-time under the supervision of a Lassonde faculty member on a research project. From AI-powered autonomous robots and tracking objects in space to microfluidic sensors for disease diagnostics and the assessment of drinking water supply options in Nunavut; there are over 75 exciting projects for students to choose from!
To highlight Lassonde’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), these summer positions will target various UN SDGs, including a major focus on:
- SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (73.3% of posted projects)
- SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities (31.7% of posted projects)
- SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being (20% of posted projects)
- SDG 13 – Climate Action (20% of posted projects)
Applications are now open with a deadline of February 15, 2023. Please note these positions are highly competitive with limited spots available.
Detailed application procedures are outlined on the Lassonde Undergraduate Research website, including student eligibility, how to find a supervisor, and some of the available projects.
This year, Lassonde has launched a pilot program Women in Engineering Co-op Stream, a new initiative with the aim of increasing retention and investing in additional skill development for women in engineering. As a result, two special LURA positions for first-year female engineering students have been created.
NSERC also encourages qualified Indigenous and Black students to apply to this program. This year, NSERC announced additional support for Black students by including unlimited positions for them. The Indigenous and Black student USRA awards are adjudicated alongside the NSERC USRA awards. All applications from Indigenous and/or Black students whose application otherwise meets all qualifications will be put forward to NSERC for funding.
At the conclusion of the program, all students will have an opportunity to showcase their hard work and present at a conference held in August (date TBC).
The awards are open to full-time undergraduate students, enrolled in the Lassonde School of Engineering, York University or any school across the world.
This experiential learning program is a great opportunity for students to gain hands-on research experience and leverage it towards future grad studies, co-op opportunities or their career. Many LURA and NSERC USRA graduates have gone on to conduct research as graduate students, acknowledging the integral role that LURA and NSERC USRA played in their career choices.
Check out what past student participants think of the LURA program!
Open information sessions will be held for all interested students (no registration required):
- February 6, 2023, 6 pm – 7 pm, Zoom
- Open office hours
Or for specific questions, please contact resday@yorku.ca.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Lassonde School of Engineering values the diversity of research teams and the importance of an inclusive research environment. We encourage applicants from diverse groups to apply.