Alberta Innovates — Summer Research Studentships

Eligibility for the Summer Research Studentships grant is determined by specific requirements concerning the applicants, supervisors, projects, and institutions.

• Students must be registered in an undergraduate degree program at a university in Canada. However, this requirement may be waived by universities to allow exceptional high school students to participate.
• Students must be able to participate in the SRS program at the Alberta-based university to which they applied.
• Supervisors must be employed at a participating post-secondary institution and must provide appropriate supervision for the proposed project. The supervisor does not need to be a faculty member.
• Projects must be relevant to the program and occur under an approved supervisor. Projects strongly relevant to Digital Health, Data-Enabled Health Transformation, or Health Innovation and Technology Acceleration may be prioritized for funding.
• Post-secondary institutions must be a comprehensive academic and research university in Alberta or an undergraduate university in Alberta engaged in health research and innovation-related activity and must have applied for and received funding from Alberta Innovates to administer the SRS program.

Who is eligible?

The Summer Research Studentships (SRS) program targets students and mentors involved in health research at Alberta-based post-secondary institutions, focusing on digital health and emerging technology innovation.

• Post-secondary students enrolled in an undergraduate degree in Canada.
• Academic institutions and researchers at comprehensive academic and research universities in Alberta.
• Supervisors employed at participating post-secondary institutions in Alberta capable of overseeing relevant projects.
• Projects that align with Digital Health, Data-Enabled Health Transformation, or Health Innovation and Technology Acceleration.

Who is not eligible

The Summer Research Studentships (SRS) program is directed towards undergraduate students at post-secondary institutes in Alberta and does not cater to corporate entities or industries. The program is specifically structured to provide learning opportunities within academic settings.

• Private companies and industries.
• Organizations that are not post-secondary institutions or without academic affiliations.
• Entities outside of Alberta or without operations related to Alberta-based universities.
• Non-academic institutions not engaged in health research and innovation-related activities.

Eligible expenses

The Summer Research Studentship (SRS) program provides funding for specific expenses directly related to the administration and success of the studentships.

• GST on eligible costs if unrecoverable and not reimbursed.
• Salaries or stipends paid to studentship recipients.
• Costs of workshops or events related directly to the funded project, including meals and non-alcoholic refreshments.
• Up to 10% of the total investment for program administration costs.
• Any other costs pre-approved in writing by Alberta Innovates as eligible.

Eligible geographic areas

This grant is specific to post-secondary institutions in Alberta, Canada, facilitating opportunities for students engaged in health research and innovation.

• Post-secondary institutions located in Alberta, Canada.

The evaluation and selection of projects for the Summer Research Studentships (SRS) grant are based on specific criteria with allocated point scores to ensure alignment with the program’s objectives.

• Relevance to Program Objectives: Identification of opportunities to introduce emerging talent in related fields, with a focus on health research and innovation – Score range 1 (Unacceptable) to 5 (Outstanding).
• Evidence of Diverse Career Development Activities: Identification of relevant professional development activities beyond research training – Score range 1 (Unacceptable) to 5 (Outstanding).
• Support for Institutional Capacity: Evidence of past success in administering studentship programs and details on the fair and transparent competition process – Score range 1 (Unacceptable) to 5 (Outstanding).
• Team: Identification of an appropriate team for program administration and acknowledgment of any anticipated team changes – Score range 1 (Unacceptable) to 5 (Outstanding).
• Budget: Justification of the proposed budget, alignment with expenditure guidelines, and appropriate contingency plan for potential recruitment challenges – Score range 1 (Unacceptable) to 5 (Outstanding).

Here are additional relevant details for this grant:

• The program supports a commitment to advancing Digital Health innovation in Alberta through partner relationships.
• Details of studentship recipients and their projects are published on a three-year trailing basis, enhancing transparency and showcasing program impact.
• Students participating in the program have access to supplemental skills development workshops and career mentorship, broadening their professional opportunities.
• Alberta Innovates monitors and reports on program impacts, incorporating feedback from student surveys conducted up to five years post-completion.
• Institutions administering the program must ensure promotional materials acknowledge Alberta Innovates' financial support.