seed2STEM: Summer research program for Indigenous youth

STEM fields are critical in advancing health care and driving economic success in Canada, yet Indigenous representation in these skilled, well-paid positions remains disproportionately low. seed2STEM, a summer research program for Indigenous high school students in Metro Vancouver and Kelowna, aims to increase Indigenous participation in STEM. Started at ICORD and with the support of the UBC Faculty of Medicine, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering, BC’s Gynecologic Cancer Initiative, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, BC Centre for Disease Control, and Provincial Health Services Authority, the program introduces Indigenous youth to STEM fields in a fun and supportive environment with paid placements and wraparound supports to ease participation barriers.

Click here to read a wonderful UBC News article about seed2STEM!

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“My summer at ICORD taught me how to communicate with other researchers, as well as participants. It is a once-in-a lifetime experience that will always be memorable, and you cannot replace all of the valuable information and experiences I gained through the program.” – 2022 summer student

“The people in the lab were great and very welcoming and helpful. Plus, I got to make friends with another fellow indigenous high school student. Overall, it was a very good experience that I would love to do

again.” – 2022 summer student

“Without ICORD I would not have had the opportunity to hear about these experiences, directly participate in research activities, or learn from Dr. Sparrey. Opportunities like this can help Indigenous youth like myself get excited about science, research, and university.” – 2021 summer student

“My presentation skills are much better, and I’ve grown my network to include people at different institutions, which is very important.” – 2019 + 2021 summer student

You could work on research projects in areas including (but not limited to):

Biomedical engineering: application of engineering principles to healthcare solutions, including medical devices and systems.
Laboratory science: research conducted in lab settings, possibly including molecular biology, chemistry, etc.
Clinical research: focus on patient-oriented research, including health outcomes and approaches to patient care
Data science/math/computer science in medicine: data analysis, statistics, mathematical and computer modeling in medical research.
Medical Imaging: Exploration of technologies like MRI, CT scans, and ultrasound used in diagnosing and treating disease.
Rehabilitation/Exercise Science: Study of physical therapy, sports science, and methods to improve mobility and health.

If you have other interests, please let us know and we can try to arrange a related project for you.