From March 23-24th 2024, Toronto Metropolitan University hosted the 36th annual Ontario Biology Day Symposium. This symposium provides students in undergraduate thesis courses the opportunity to highlight their research and network with their peers. This year there were 230 attendees featuring 112 oral presentations and 104 poster presentations by undergraduate biology students across Ontario.
This year, Trent University had an excellent showing, as approximately 20 students attended and shared their work. Five students were awarded top prizes in both the oral and poster competitions. Notably, Trent University students placed in the top 5 in both events! Josh Russell, who completed research under the guidance of Dr. Jim Schaefer (Biology), presented his work entitled: "Here, there and back again: Three decades of change in Arctic snow coverage and vegetation." Josh summed up his thesis as a rare opportunity to uncover the long-term relationship between plants and snow — the single most important ecological feature of the North. From his research, Josh feels that he has become a better communicator, a stronger researcher, and ultimately, a better scientist. He is now pursuing his M.Sc. in virology at McMaster University.
.JPG?s10465280d1723743742)
In the poster competition, Abbigail Hollett won for her work entitled: "MindMatters Mini Sessions: The Impact of Short In-Class Holistic Learning Sessions on Student Well Being and Academics - A Pilot Study." Abbigail was co-supervised by Dr. Holly Bates (Biology) and Dr. Sarah West (Kinesiology). Abbigail’s thesis was an exciting opportunity to study strategies to improve the psychosocial wellness of undergraduate students – a topic near and dear to her heart as a Trent University Emergency First Response Team (TUEFRT) member on campus. Abbigail is now pursuing her medical degree at Trinity School of Medicine.
Please visit Biology Undergraduate Research Thesis page or email biology@trentu.ca to learn more about the BIOL 4020D/4010Y Research Thesis course.
