About the Indigenous-Black-International Science (IBIS) Student Assistantship:
This paid Assistantship gives undergraduate students in Natural Science* programs at Mount Saint Vincent University, who have limited to no previous research experience, the opportunity to explore working in a research environment. This opportunity is open to students who identify as Indigenous, Black and/or who are International students. Under the guidance of a Natural Science researcher, eligible students will assist with research projects, which could include such tasks as: developing experiments, conducting lab procedures, learning new lab techniques, and collecting and analyzing data. Students awarded this Assistantship will also have the opportunity to network with other students in the IBIS program. This is a great experience for those students who are considering a career in research and want to see if it’s the right fit.
The duration of the internship is a maximum of 12 weeks. Accepted students will work for a minimum of 3, and a maximum of 12 hours per week, at a rate of $17/hour. Number of hours worked per week will be decided between researcher and student.
There will be up to eight IBIS Assistantship awards granted per academic year (Fall/Winter semesters)** with the allocation prioritized as follows: 2:2:1 (Indigenous: Black: International). A selection committee (detailed below) will be responsible for reviewing all applications and selecting successful applicants based on meeting the eligibility criteria and scoring of some application questions. The rubric for assessment is shown below.
*Natural Science programs include: Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Math, Applied Human Nutrition, Psychology
** WISEatlantic reserves the right to not allocate any awards if applicants do not meet the specified criteria.
Eligibility Requirements (Students):
Only open to students who meet the following criteria:
Note: students may not hold any other research assistantship during the time of the IBIS assistantship. Preference will be given to those applicants who are first generation university students.
Eligibility Requirements (Researchers):
Open to faculty members who meet the following criteria:
Note researchers do not need to provide matching funds but are encouraged to continue employing the student at the end of the IBIS assistantship.
How to Apply (Students):
Students who are interested in participating in this opportunity, and who meet the above criteria, should complete the Application Form (linked below) and submit it by September 16, 2022, 4pm AST. This application will cover both Fall and Winter semesters in the 2022/2023 academic year, you can apply for either semester.
How to Apply (Researchers):
Faculty in a Natural Science field at Mount Saint Vincent University and who have active research programs are encouraged to apply using this Application Form (linked below) by the required deadline. If you are paired with a student(s) you will be notified as soon as possible. Once the match is made it will be the responsibility of the researcher to work with the student to schedule work hours and projects. WISEatlantic will provide the full funding for the Assistantship, no matching funds are required. The researcher is responsible for signing timesheets and ensuring that hours do not exceed those allocated.
Selection Committee (2022)
All decisions of the committee related to the IBIS Assistantship are final.
Selection Rubric:
Contact Information:
If you have any questions regarding the IBIS Assistantship, please contact Sally at WISEatlantic@msvu.ca