UHRE

Research Mentorship Program (URMP)

The UHRE Research Mentorship program (URMP)

URMP is a collaborative initiative that matches students interested in research involvement with experienced undergraduate researchers to provide support throughout their journey in finding, applying, and successfully completing a research position. Prospective students can Register for URMP, and receive support in applying to research volunteering, credit, and employment roles both on- and off-campus. Matches are on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Application Process

  1. Review the list of current Research Mentors available for matching (below).

  2. Submit an application with your information and requested mentors.

  3. Match with your Research Mentor and have an Exploratory meeting to discuss goals and preferences for your ongoing mentorship for the duration of the year.

  4. Receive ongoing support and access to resources, as well as priority news for upcoming opportunities.

Hannah Sheikhdon

4th Year Health Studies

  • Contributed to research focused on retaining personal support workers in long-term care home settings

  • I believe it’s essential for health research to address not only treatments and cures but also the effectiveness of policies and the overall well-being of everyone involved in healthcare, including both providers and patients.

  • I love listening to music and reading.

Noor ul Huda

2nd Year Psychology

  • I am deeply interested in studying the intersection of health, behaviour, and technology.

  • I believe that human health, behaviour, and technology are fields that hold the potential to significantly improve lives. Overall, my research interests are driven by a desire to innovate and contribute to solutions that can enhance mental and physical well-being while promoting social equity and sustainability.

  • Outside of school, I love to garden and read.

Tiana Ramsay

3rd Year Kinesiology & Health Sciences

  • Contributed to the CanTreatCOVID project, designed to develop cost-effective therapeutics for non-hospitalised patients. My research interests are public health, epidemiology, and rehabilitation.

  • I am interested in learning about public health diseases and how they affect communities differently,as well as the analytical aspect. I've always been interested in rehabilitation as it helps others learn to gain independence through different practices.

  • Reading, creative writing, listening to music, and volunteering.

Shori-Anne Clarke

2nd Year Psychology

  • I was a volunteer researcher at the Toronto District School Board studying black student mental health within the school community due to racism and academic discrimination. This included examining the psychological impact of Black students in the Toronto District School Board who often face difficulties such as feelings of marginalization, lower self-esteem, and academic disengagement due to systemic racism and discrimination.

  • I like psychological research because it helps uncover how people think, feel, and behave, offering insights into the human mind. It also allows me to understand and address mental health issues, improving well-being on both individual and societal levels.

  • Cooking, reading, dancing, listening to music, and sketching.

Niusha Aghadavoudi Jolfaei

2nd Year Kinesiology & Health Sciences

  • My research interests center on identifying practical solutions that improve health accessibility and safety, particularly for at-risk groups like elderly adults and cardiac rehabilitation patients. I have gained diverse research experience through projects in healthcare and public safety, including volunteering in a tracing experiment where I managed participant schedules, provided instructions, and supported study protocols. I am currently designing a survey to find gaps in snow shoveling services for elderly and cardiac patients, mapping service availability across Ontario with a focus on Toronto. These experiences have deepened my skills in participant management, survey design, and community-centered research aimed at promoting safer, healthier communities.

  • I believe in making health and safety accessible to everyone, especially those at higher risk, like older adults and cardiac patients. I’ve seen how small improvements, like better access to services or safer practices, can make a big difference in people’s lives. My goal is to use research to find practical solutions that help prevent injuries and support healthier communities.

  • Photography, working out, badminton, and hangout with friends 


Our Mentorship Services

Finding your Research Interest

Discovering your research interest is an important part of the process. Students who know what field they are interested in are better prepared to seek and successfully apply to their top research programs. Each field is unique in its methodology; ‘wet’ labs involve traditional beachside experiments, while ‘dry’ labs are more clinical and epidemiological—our Research Mentors can help make sense of it all, and find what suits you!

Cover Letter Editing

Many of the formal research opportunities require students to submit a Cover Letter as part of the application for their research position. These letters outline your motivation, fit, and value to the prospective supervisor, and is used as a way to find the students they wish to interview. Writing a good cover letter can be foundational to securing a research role.

Interview Tips & Practice Sessions

You’ve made it through the gates with one foot in the door; the final stage of the process is the interview. Interviews for research position can be quite different from your typical job interview. Supervisors can be highly specific in what they’re looking for, and questions may likewise be different from the traditional interview. URMP provides in-house resources that can help you practice from our set of pre-made interview questions based of our own Research Mentor’s past interviews, and provide feedback during one-on-one practice session

Searching for Opportunities

There exist many formal and informal channels through which students can get involved in research. Access to information is often through word-of-mouth, making it difficult for new students to find and navigate the different sources of opportunities that are available to them. Our Mentors are well-connected and can act as a gateway to the different opportunities that exist!

CV/Resume Templates & Critique

Our Research Mentors have insights on what potential research supervisors are looking for when reviewing your CV or Resume. Often, this might be the first place a supervisor looks to, before all other aspects of your application. URMP provides access to our in-house CV/Resume templates, and can help you overcome this step of the process!

Ongoing Support in Your Role

The best part about research is the many exciting challenges that you will have the privilege of learning from. Our support does not once you’ve landed a position. URMP Mentees are welcome to remain in touch with their Research Mentors for any ongoing advice or questions they may have. As Research students ourselves, we know how valuable it is to have a support network outside of our work!

Email writing & Application Support

Once you’ve found an opportunity that resonates with you, students must reach out and show they are available and willing to take on the role to their prospective supervisors. Often, students have to email dozens of individuals to find a supervisor willing to take them in. Maximizing your odds requires a well-tailored, professional application that makes you stand out as a high-quality applicant!

Networking

Our mission is to help as many students as possible overcome barriers to entry in research and academia. One disparity that exists among students is access to a robust and productive network than can provide information about opportunities and areas of interest. Our mentees can have access to such networks through our community of mentors to overcome this challenge!