SASKATCHEWAN POLYTECHNIC
Earning experience: Students value hands-on learning in applied research internships

Three Saskatchewan Polytechnic students participating in applied research internships this year have many common threads all born outside Canada, all multilingual, all working hard to complete academic programs while working closely with faculty on applied research projects. Monica Hsiao, Sean Mu and Mikhaela Abad say they are grateful for the $12,500 in financial support their internships provide but they also all insist that the internship experience itself, is invaluable.

Monica Hsiao is a dual Canadian/Taiwanese citizen, undertaking the Saskatchewan Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing (SCBScN), delivered in partnership by the University of Regina and Sask Polytech. "I knew research was something I wanted to participate in," she explains, "so when my program sent a call-out for research assistants I expressed interest right away."

Research chair for community health with Sask Polytech's Centre for Health Innovation, Research and Scholarship (CHRIS), Sarah Kostiuk, was looking for assistance with a community-health focussed study and helped put Hsiao's name forward for a student applied research internship.

Hsiao hopes that participating in applied research will keep her options open and give her a chance to try working in research. "I came to Saskatchewan from Manitoba, where I had been training as a dietician," says Hsiao. "As my nursing program progressed, I realized that my real interest lies not in front-end patient care but in the back end supports and programming that can impact and improve people's lives. I'm particularly interested in improving social inclusion and accessibility."

Kostiuk's current research focuses on community health. One of her projects is exploring social community program access barriers for older adult newcomers in Regina and Moose Jaw an excellent fit for Hsiao's interests and, says Kostiuk, for her talents. "Monica brings life experience to the project," she shares. "She has helped shape its cultural aspect and has great ideas. Speaking more than one language also makes her a great asset when conducting interviews with older adult newcomers."

"It's been incredibly rewarding working on this project," says Hsiao. "The paid aspect is a benefit, certainly, but it's not the reason I applied. My plans are a little different from a lot of nurses. I'm fascinated by the research side of things and hope to do more once I graduate." Hsiao plans to do some computer science courses to open future research opportunities in healthcare and artificial intelligence (AI), an area of interest she shares with Kostiuk. "Sometimes you just know research and academia is for someone," explains Kostiuk. "Monica is like that."

Sean Mu is an international student from China, currently finishing a postgraduate certificate in Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics. The mature learner came to Canada on a study visa with his wife and daughter. Like many international students who hope to stay in Canada, he is acutely aware that everything he does while studying will influence his ability to find work in his field.

"I worked very hard to get this internship," says Mu. "I have taken my studies seriously, knowing that to gain an experience like this I would need to stand out in my class."

Mu's research advisor and instructor in the School of Computing and Digital Innovation, George Ding, says Mu did exactly that. "Sean is smart, but he's also diligent. He's one of the very top students out of 30 in the program."

Like Hsiao, Mu is an excellent fit for the research project he's been paired to work on. Ding is partnering with an Alberta company to develop an online platform that uses machine learning to match customers with technicians. "Sean's past experience benefits the project" notes Ding. "He ran his own software development company in China and has experience with a similar project. That experience, along with his recent learning in the program, makes him particularly suited to this applied research."

Mu has been developing the front end of the platform. "I like to learn," he says, "and the last year has given me a desire to learn again." Subject-specific lessons aside, Mu sees gaining experience in Canada as the most valuable aspect of his internship. "Working as part of this research team is giving me real Canadian work experience," he explains. "I'm learning the culture the working culture of Canada. Canadian companies value communication. This internship is helping me develop these skills every day."

"George is a tough boss," Mu laughs. "He has goals for us. My English has improved so much since I arrived a little over a year ago and I have him to thank for that."

Ding acknowledges that he is an exacting supervisor but there is method to his high expectations. "Internships give students excellent, real-world work experience and helps prepare them for graduation beyond their coursework," he explains. "Academic programs are important they teach fundamentals through hands-on learning and prepare students to work in their field. Research projects, though, are cutting edge. Participating in applied research gives students a chance to try even more challenging research and development-type work."

Mikhaela Abad is a permanent resident originally from the Philippines, nearing completion of her Therapeutic Recreation diploma. After her second program practicum at a Saskatoon high school, Abad was passionate about practicing in a school setting. "Recreation therapists work in all kinds of environments," Abad explains, "but my practicum showed me firsthand the benefits this profession can offer to kids with diverse needs in schools."

Abad's research supervisor and program head, Linda Martin, is undertaking multi-year applied research into the benefits of incorporating recreation therapy in the school environment and encouraged Abad to apply for an internship. Martin's current research investigates school-based recreation therapy for children and youth with mental health and other diverse needs. "This applied research internship is a good opportunity for Mikhaela to take her interests further," says Martin. "She has a keen interest in children and youth, especially those with high needs. The internship allows deeper exploration than a practicum."

"Linda is a very hands-on supervisor," says Abad. "I'm able to talk to her about what I'm working on. She's supportive and guides me but also lets me be independent and learn through the journey."

Similar to Hsiao and Mu, Abad speaks to the experience she's gaining as her biggest internship takeaway. "I'm not really looking at the pay we get as interns," she says. "I'm looking at the learning and the experience that we get. Learing to work with a team is a huge benefit. Through my internship I'm working with educational assistants, learning assistance teachers, the whole school system, really. It's a huge benefit working with and learning from them."

Saskatchewan Polytechnic's Applied Research Student Internship program is funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Mobilize grant with the purpose of encouraging and supporting students' participation in applied research and scholarly activities. Allocation of the student internships is made through a competitive nomination process by the Office of Applied Research and Innovation Internship (OARII) committee.

To learn more, visit Applied Research Jobs and Internships for Students.