2026 AARN-Mitacs Research Trainee Awards

Eligibility

This joint AARN-Mitacs award is open to Alberta-based undergraduate and graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows working on ALS research under the supervision of an Alberta-based researcher.

1. Supervisor must be Alberta-based
2. Trainee (undergrad, grad, or postdoc) must be Alberta-based.
3. Research must be relevant to the field of ALS.

Summary

About the Alberta ALS Research Network (AARN)
The Alberta ALS Research Network is a newly-launched initiative aimed at making Alberta a global leader in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) research and care. AARN’s mission is to accelerate research and find a cure for ALS by fostering collaboration between top ALS researchers at Alberta Universities.

Award Overview
The AARN Research Trainee Awards will support promising trainees to pursue innovative ALS research. Awards will be granted in partnership with Mitacs, a Canadian NFP organization that has been supporting research and innovation for more than 25 years, through Mitacs’ Accelerate program. Accelerate is a fund-matching program aimed at cultivating and encouraging Canadian student and post-doctoral researchers.

Supervisors can apply for a specific trainee project with or without a named trainee and have up to one year from date of Mitacs acceptance to identify a suitable trainee. However, the project may not begin until a trainee has been identified.

Application Steps

1. Review Mitacs’ Accelerate application process and guidelines.
2. Download and complete the Accelerate application (found in the “How to Apply” section).
3. If no trainee is named at the time of application, attach a brief (1/2 page) trainee identification plan to your application email.
4. Send your completed application to kelsie@alsab.ca by June 15, 2026.

Value

• Selected undergraduate and graduate applicants will receive $15,000 per 4-6-month internship (minimum $10,000 stipend, up to $5,000 for research).
• Selected postdoctoral applicants will receive $20,000 per 4-6-month internship (minimum $15,000 stipend, up to $5,000 for research).

Term
Internship units (IUs) run 4-6 months. Please indicate your desired number of IUs on your application. Total IUs offered will be determined in AARN review.
Eligibility Criteria

Review Process
Applications will be reviewed by AARN Steering Committee. Successful applicants will be invited to formally apply to Mitacs based on strength of application. Total number of awards will be determined based on AARN budget and quality of applications.

Contact: Please direct any questions to Kelsie Snow at kelsie@alsab.ca.
Program Guide: 2026 AARN Research Trainee Awards

Overhead

N/A. Mitacs and AARN do not allow overhead. 

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

Reminder: The sooner the researcher engages with Research Services, the more help we can be!

Contact the following Research Service units for support with:

Projects Involving Indigenous Research:

Support with incorporating wise practices in Indigenous research, community engagement, and Indigenous data management is available through the Indigenous Research Support Team (IRST).

Applicants can reach out by email to IRST at IRST@ucalgary.ca in advance of the RSO internal deadline. For more information about IRST, please visit the IRST webpage.

Knowledge Mobilization, Research Impact Assessment, DORA:

Support for knowledge mobilization/engagement/translation, community partnerships, research impact, responsible research assessment (DORA), and open science, is available through the Knowledge to Impact team.

Applicants can reach out by email to the KI team at knowledge.impact@ucalgary.ca.

For more information and access to resource archives, please visit the KI team webpage.

Research Data Management:

For information on research data management plans, processes, or best practices for your research program, please contact research.data@ucalgary.ca.

EDI in Research:

RSO can provide resources and support to research teams on the integration of equitable and inclusive practices in research design and research practice.

Contact edi.rso@ucalgary.ca for more information.

Research Security:

The Research Security Division is available to ensure researchers adhere to research security guidelines and policies, including the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships (NSGRP) and the policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC).

Visit the Research Security website to learn more or contact researchsecurity@ucalgary.ca.

Pre-Award Submissions:

RMS: Creating a Pre-Award LOI
RMS: Creating a Pre-Award Application