Colloquium Moves Undergraduate Research Beyond the Classroom
This year’s two-day SMC Undergraduate Research Colloquium is underway, offering attendees a glimpse into research being conducted by students from across the St. Mike’s community and beyond.
The Colloquium opened with a new addition: a panel sponsored by the St. Michael’s College Student Union (SMCSU) titled “The Road to Research.” The panel invited Colloquium presenters to share how they first got involved in research and to offer practical advice for students looking to do the same. Suggestions ranged from connecting with graduate students to being intentional in outreach emails and applying to opportunities early. By embedding these conversations directly into the Colloquium, SMCSU aims to create a pipeline from today’s audience to next year’s presenters.
SMCSU President Sariha Dewan, who participated as a panelist, spoke to the significance of the new format. “A couple of SMCSU counselors who have been really involved in research outside of the Colloquium wanted to bring a perspective of what’s next after the Colloquium,” said Sariha. “How can students go from today, maybe being inspired by the research they saw at the Colloquium, to presenting next year.”
To carry that momentum forward, SMCSU will launch a Road to Research Resource Bank through its social media platforms, giving students ongoing access to guidance and opportunities beyond the Colloquium itself.
Following the panel, there was an interdisciplinary session, lighting round and a session co-sponsored by student groups for Celtic Studies, Medieval Studies and Christianity and Culture. The addition of student group-sponsored sessions helps bolster the visibility of SMC’s academic programs.
Angelina Semchuk presented her work on the role of setting in 19th-century Gothic literature as part of her Celtic Studies minor. Presenting at the Colloquium for the first time, she reflected on the experience, “It was nerve-wracking, but seeing the amazing turnout today, the room was full and that was really motivating.”
Sarah Fidora, a third-year student studying applied genetics and biotechnology with double minors in immunology and philosophy, shared research she conducted over the summer at Johns Hopkins University on Anopheles gambiae, the mosquito species that serves as the primary vector of malaria transmission. For Sarah, the Colloquium offered a rare opportunity to present work done outside of U of T. “I wanted to participate because I wanted an opportunity to share the research that I did, especially given that it wasn’t conducted at U of T, so there wasn’t an allocated place for me to share my research,” she said.
The Colloquium continues to demonstrate the breadth and ambition of undergraduate research at St. Michael’s, with this year’s expanded format making space for more voices, disciplines, and conversations than ever before.
