Transcript Slide 1
mechanical engineering
NSERC USRA 2014
Application Deadline: February 24, 4:00 pm
(this is earlier than Career Services says because we must process the applications by the APSC deadline)
mechanical engineering
What is a NSERC USRA?
A funding program that subsidizes wages for students on research-related work terms (university-based or otherwise) • NSERC is the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council • Federal government granting agency for science and engineering • Supports research by university students, postdocs, and professors • USRA is the Undergraduate Student Research Award program • Offered by NSERC to undergraduate students • Provides opportunities for students to get research experience • Two options – based at a university (focus of this session) or in an industrial setting (some restrictions apply) • $4,500 subsidy to a Professor so they can hire you (total salary minimum $5,740 but most positions pay more)
mechanical engineering
Why Should You do a USRA?
An opportunity to create a high-quality work placement related to research and your interests where one may not otherwise exist • Excellent chance to get paid while getting research experience in a University setting • Discover whether research is for you before entering graduate studies • Looks good on a grad school application and a great way to meet a prospective supervisor – or get hooked into a network that can recommend you to one • Counts towards your co-op work terms (except for very unusual situations) • Fun to be on campus and not in classes – whether summer, first term, or second term • Opportunity to apply through a different university if you want to travel there for the summer instead
mechanical engineering
What are the requirements to apply?
There has to be a catch, right?
• Must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident • Must be registered as a full-time undergraduate student at the time you apply • You can hold a USRA for the term directly after your graduation requirements are met • Completed all required first year courses • Have not started graduate studies • Can only hold 3 USRA or IUSRA in your life • An overall average (all courses, all years) of 68% (B-) • But the competitive average is usually over 80%
mechanical engineering
How does this work?
And how are the award winners selected?
• You put in a joint application with the professor you want to work with in the professor’s department and university • Please contact other schools and departments directly – procedures vary • Professors will select the students with whom they will put in a joint application based on their own criteria – some posting are on the web. Start early!
• In the Faculty of Applied Science, applications will go through two rankings: • Faculty-wide ranking (1/2 of the awards) – based on academic average (/100%) • Department ranking (our share of the other half) – broad based on full application (academic average still counts).
mechanical engineering
What goes into an application?
All 5 documents must be submitted together by February 24 at 4:00 pm • NSERC requirements • Create an account at www.nserc.ca for Online System Login (reference number) • Complete and submit an online Form 202 part I. Forward your reference number to your supervisor • Ask your supervisor to complete form 202 part II – they will need your reference number – and print it and sign it • You must upload a copy of your official transcripts (request via SSC, pick up at Brock Hall. Small fee) • Department requirements • Letter of application* • Curriculum Vitae
mechanical engineering
What should my application letter include?
This is an application to the award, not the one you give the faculty member to secure a position • Statement of intent • Why are you interested in research, why do you want to hold a USRA • Area of interest • What area will you be looking at, how does it relate to your interests • Evidence of research ability • Why will you be successful in a USRA position • Special considerations • Is there anything that has affected your ability to compete for the awards (eg, prolonged health concerns affecting grades, caring for a child full-time)
mechanical engineering
How to not win a USRA
Or, the mistakes we see the most often • You didn’t read the instructions on the NSERC website • You have not used the online system to complete the form / something has been added in handwriting / a .pdf editor • You forgot to sign part I • The Prof didn’t hit submit to get the signature box to appear or didn’t sign part II • The Prof put an invalid account code on part II (NSERC Discovery code suggested) • You didn’t get an official transcript for every post-secondary institution you have attended • You missed the deadline
mechanical engineering
You said something about an industrial award?
Industrial Undergraduate Student Research Awards • Basically exactly like a regular USRA except held at one of the R&D facilities of an eligible organization in Canada • Partner Organization Eligibility Guidelines: http://www.nserc crsng.gc.ca/NSERC-CRSNG/Eligibility-Admissibilite/org-org_eng.asp
• Apply directly through NSERC’s website • Generally a lot less competitive, but the company / position must be eligible • See NSERC’s website for more details
mechanical engineering
Specific postings
Details at http://mech.ubc.ca/undergraduate-students/research opportunities/nserc-usra-information/ • Dr. Elizabeth Croft – Human Robot Interaction Research Assistant • Dr. Mike Van der Loos – Gaming Controller for Rehabilitation Therapy • Dr. Ian Friggard – #1: Mixing and Displacement in Pipe Flows #2: Gas Migration in Viscoplastic Fluids • Mustafa Kaymakci – Virtual Machining • Dr. Murray Hodgson - Measurement and Prediction of Sound Fields in Rooms with Diffracting Edges Using Beam-Tracing
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Specific Projects, continued
http://mech.ubc.ca/undergraduate-students/research opportunities/nserc-usra-information/ • Dr. Steve Rogak - #1: Particle and Jet Instrumentation #2: Nanoparticle Sampling and Analysis • Dr. Boris Stoeber - Boiling Heat Transfer Enhancement using Structured Surfaces
mechanical engineering