Research Mentorship Program in partnership with Queen's Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre - Winter 2023
15 June 2023
Our mentorship program, in partnership with the Queen's Four Directions Centre since 2017, aims to share knowledge, expertise and enthusiasm between graduate students and high school youth. Our mentorships are a collaboration led by the interests and goals of our mentees, and relevance to their own community. We aim to foster inquiry and problem-solving skills through scientific discovery to help equip our mentees for success in their career pursuits.
During winter term 2023, we were privileged to offer eight weekly sessions in human health and general science with Indigenous youth in grades 8-11 at the Katarokwi Learning Centre (KLC) in Kingston. Four mentees, each paired with a mentor, chose each to study Cancer, the Human Brain, Ocean Garbage Patches, or the impact of Caffeine on Human Health. We also offered four group activities: the Amazing World of Bacteria, what Life's in a Lake, DNA - the Blueprint of Life, and the Physics of Roller Coasters.
Working alongside Bruce Elliott (Program Coordinator) and Assistant Coordinators Isabelle Grenier-Pleau (DBMS) and Katya Douchant (DBMS), are graduate student mentors Danielle Harper, Tashifa Imtiaz and Sanathan Sahd (DPMM), Jamie Would (Dept. Biol.), Katie Faulkner (Dept. Psychol.), Jill Greenlaw (DBMS), Sherri Dutton (Dept. Public Health Sciences), Doriana Taccardi and Senior Mentor Olena Kourko (DBMS). All mentors found the program a very rewarding bi-directional learning experience! We are grateful for the wonderful support from Tiina Liinamaa (DPMM) and knowledgeable staff in other departments listed below.
We thank KLC Teachers Mic Palmieri and Katelyn Doreen, Vice Principals Steve Ward and Beth Hasler for their strong support. Our program is supported by a CIHR Synapse Mentorship award.