2024 KRESCENT Summer Studentship Program

Eligibility

• Applicants must self-identify as black or Indigenous 
• Canadian Citizen or permanent resident status 
• Students must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate program at a Canadian University and returning in the fall to continue their current academic Program. 
• Students may not submit more than one application. 
• Students may only hold one summer studentship over their academic career   

Students NOT Eligible to Apply: 

• High school students. 
• University students who will have completed an undergraduate degree program by the start of the summer studentship program 
• Students who are currently enrolled or will be enrolled in a master’s or doctoral graduate degree program by May 2024. 
• Students enrolled at a university outside of Canada.

Principal Investigator (PI) Eligibility:

A number of summer studentships are available for undergraduate students to carry out summer research in kidney under the supervision of a KRESCENT approved Principal Investigator (PI). A list of those PIs can be found here: List of Participating Labs. Research projects must be carried out in-lab, with the goal of producing a unit of research that can contribute to a publication or presentation.   

Please note that if you have a supervisor who is not on this list, to reach out to KRESCENT for consideration. If there is no supervisor listed in your area, please feel free to apply and KRESCENT will make every effort to identify a suitable supervisor within your area. 

Summary

The Kidney Research Scientist Core Education and National Training (KRESCENT) Program, is a national training program launched in 2005.  Originally a partnership between the Kidney Foundation of Canada (KFOC), The Canadian Society of Nephrology (CSN) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute for Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes (CIHR-INMD), the program was developed with the recognition from the Canadian Research Community of the rising prevalence of kidney disease and the need to train and maintain an increased number of highly skilled kidney research scientists.  

The KRESCENT program Summer Studentship award is awarded to undergraduate students or medical school students who identify as black or Indigenous and provides salary support to complete a summer student position in an approved Canadian kidney research laboratory.

The main objective of the award is to create opportunity and support students from historically underrepresented groups to experience research in a culturally safe environment, while building their experience and exploring kidney research.

Students will be required to work full-time for a minimum of 12 weeks between May 1 and August 31, 2024. Specific start and end dates are to be arranged directly with the hiring supervisor. Students will be asked to present their research findings virtually at the Fall 2024 KRESCENT workshop.  

Mentorship in addition to the local supervisor will be provided by KRESCENT leadership and KRESCENT trainees (post-doctoral and new investigator level). Opportunities for networking with fellow students in the Program will be provided via a moderated virtual hub.  

The student is responsible for logistics of moving to where the supervisor is located if it is necessary. KRESCENT will provide stipend only.  

Amount 

The student’s stipend will be $750 per week based on a 35-hour work week for a minimum of 12 weeks to a maximum of 16 weeks. IMPORTANT: KRESCENT does not pay the student directly. The payments will be made to the supervisor’s institution on behalf of the student. 

Other Terms 

• Successful students cannot accept more than one summer studentship regardless of the funding source. 
• Cases in which a studentship recipient requests a subsequent change in supervisor or if there is a change in the research project, KRESCENT must be notified as the awarding of the studentship may need to be reconsidered by the review committee. 
• Successful applicants must acknowledge support from KRESCENT in relevant presentations, publications and communications arising from the supported research. Failure to acknowledge this support will result in future ineligibility of both the student and supervisor for KRESCENT funding programs. 
• Students will be required to submit a final research report to the KRESCENT program 
• Supervisors will be required to submit a final financial report to the KRESCENT program  

Application deadlines

Program application deadline

NOTE: Consult your Faculty Associate Dean (Research) (ADR) regarding Faculty-specific deadlines and submission processes.

Principal Investigators: Complete a Research Management System (RMS) record, including a copy of your complete application, and submit this for approvals in RMS.

Postdocs, students, and trainees: For fellowships and externally-sponsored research training awards or opportunities, you must complete the Research Funding Application Approval (RFAA) Trainee PDF form, and submit it, along with a complete copy of the application, to Research Services at rsotrainee@ucalgary.ca. Trainees should not use RMS at this time.

Approvals: The University of Calgary requires that all funding applications be approved prior to submission. Approval requires signatures via either RMS or the RFAA Trainee form, in the following order:

• Principal Investigator
• Department Head
• Faculty ADR/Dean
• Research Services (on behalf of the Vice-President Research)

Read the Meaning of Grant Signatures policy to understand what your approval means. Please see the agency guidelines for details about which signatures are required on your application, as it may differ from internal requirements.

Late submissions: Late submissions will only be accepted in cases of medical or family emergencies, or other exceptional circumstances. If you submit your RMS record to Research Services after the internal deadline has passed, you must secure additional approvals. Please read: Late Applications Process.

Resources
KRESCENT Summer Studentship Guidelines
Application Process
Application Form
List of Participating Labs

For further information on application submissions, please contact:  

Julie Wysocki 
KRESCENT Program Manager 
Julie.wysocki@kidney.ca