Alberta Innovates Highschool Youth Researcher Summer Program
Experience research outside the classroom
The deadline for students was Friday, March 26, 2021, at 4:00 p.m. MT. The deadline for Teacher & Non-Academic references was Friday, April 2, 2021, at 4:00 p.m. MT.
We continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation in Calgary and on campus. At this time, we remain hopeful that HYRS 2021 at the University of Calgary will still go ahead once campus access restrictions and physical distancing measures are lifted. Alberta Innovates has been in contact with each of the universities and is supportive of potential modifications to the program, such as a shortened term or delayed launch date. We are proceeding with selection for HYRS and will provide updates and conditional offers to applicants in early June.
The Alberta Innovates Highschool Youth Researcher Summer (HYRS) Program in Health is designed for motivated Grade 11 students in Alberta high schools to gain first-hand experience with biomedical and health research, and to introduce them to career opportunities in research. HYRS is not just a laboratory work experience – it is a well-rounded program focused on Grade 11 students. Students will work in a University lab doing cutting-edge research, and participants will meet at least once a week for a variety of activities to broaden and enhance their research experience. Activities include safety and introductory training sessions, tours of campus and other research facilities, lectures on health research, and discussions with guest speakers about their careers in research.
Contact:
At the University of Calgary, the Alberta Innovates Heritage Youth Researcher Summer program is administered by the Research Services Office.
If you have questions about the Alberta Innovates HYRS program, please contact rsotrainee@ucalgary.ca.

HYRS during the pandemic
Although 2020 marked the 21st year of the Alberta Innovates High School Youth Researcher Summer (HYRS) program at the University of Calgary, the cohort of 25 Grade 11 students were the first to embark on their research journey in a remote format.
Value and Term
Students will receive a stipend of $3,000 for 6 weeks.

Eligibility
Students who meet the following criteria are eligible to apply:
- Currently registered in grade 11 at an Alberta high school located in or south of Red Deer to north of, but not including, Claresholm. Students in or south of Claresholm should apply to the University of Lethbridge. Students north of Red Deer should apply to the University of Alberta.
- A clear interest in pursuing a health research career
- A minimum of 85% standing in each of Math-20-1 or 20-2, Biology 20, and one other grade 11 science (transcripts or interim reports are required)
A maximum of 2 students per high school will be selected for the Alberta Innovates Heritage Youth Researcher Summer program.
Application checklist
Read everything
Read all sections of this page, and download and read the application guidelines.
Identify references
Arrange for two teachers (two science teachers, or one science and one math teacher) and one community member to provide references.
Complete application
Review and complete all sections of the online application form.
We STRONGLY recommend students submit their portion of the application 1-2 weeks in advance of the deadline to ensure their references have sufficient time to complete their portion of the application by the posted deadline.
The online application deadline for students is Friday, March 26, 2021, at 4:00 p.m. MT.
The submission deadline for Teacher & Non-Academic references is Friday, April 2, 2021, at 4:00 p.m. MT.
Results of the 2021 Alberta Innovates HYRS competition will be released approximately 8 weeks after the submission deadline.
The Alberta Innovates HYRS program will run from July 2 - August 14 2021.
You cannot save the application form, so you are encouraged to review the entire application before you begin. It is recommended that you type your written responses in a word processor offline, then copy the text into the form. The application requires that you:
- Write an essay demonstrating your interest in biomedical and health research
- Upload a scanned copy of your most recent report card, stamped by the high school office
- NOTE: Please ensure your uploaded transcript includes all of the necessary grades to confirm you meet the minimum eligibility criteria for HYRS. In the event your upload does not include all necessary grades (ie. Bio 20, Math 20-1 or 20-1 and Chemistry 20 or Physics 20) your application will be marked incomplete and will not be forwarded for adjudication.
- Obtain references from two science teachers (or one science and one math teacher) and one non-academic reference (an adult who is not a relative and is from outside your school).
Important information regarding references:
The application form requires that you provide the names and email addresses of individuals who will provide references to support your application. When you submit your application, those individuals will be sent an email with the details of your application and a link to the appropriate reference form. However, we cannot guarantee that the email will be received – therefore, it is your responsibility to ensure that the reference forms are submitted before the deadline.
Before you submit your application, please ensure that the individuals you list as references have agreed to provide a reference. Please also ensure that your selected references identify you by the preferred name provided in your application; this helps to ensure the reference is appropriately matched to your application. References that cannot be matched to an application will not be considered, and incomplete applications will not be eligible for adjudication.
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IMPORTANT
We STRONGLY recommend students submit their portion of the application a minimum of 1 week in advance of the student deadline to ensure their teacher and non-academic references have sufficient time to complete their portion of the application. Applications that are deemed incomplete will not be considered for award.
Please review your application carefully and ensure that you have met all requirements before submitting. Each candidate may submit only one application.
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FAQ
Have questions? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions Guide. If you don't see your question answered in the guide please email rsotrainee@ucalgary.ca
The selection committee is composed of two high school teachers and two University of Calgary scientists. Each application is reviewed independently by the committee members. Based on these reviews, all of the Alberta Innovates HYRS proposals are adjudicated and ranked in a committee selection meeting.
Applicant’s high school grades are not used for scoring purposes during the committee review. High school grades are only used to determine applicant's eligibility .
Selection committee decisions are final and cannot be appealed.
Results of the 2021 Alberta Innovates HYRS competition will be released approximately 8 weeks after the submission deadline. All candidates will be informed by email regarding the outcome of their submission using the email address provided in their application. Successful applicants will be required to formally indicate their acceptance of the award.
Every effort will be made to match successful applicants with a mentor working within one of the areas of interest identified within the student application. However, please be aware that an exact match is not always possible due to mentor availability, lab safety protocols, and other considerations. Students are placed in a lab setting depending on the nature of the research their mentor is involved in; this could mean they will be involved in a wet lab (typically bench top experiment based labs) or a dry lab (typically computer based analysis). All placements will be made at the discretion of the university and are final.
Value and tenure of award
Studentships will be for 6 weeks, from early July to mid-August, 2021. The final program dates will be updated soon.
Students must make a full-time commitment to their research during the period of the Alberta Innovates HYRS award.
The awards are in the amount of $3,000 in the form of a stipend. Additional costs, including health benefits, travel, and accommodation, are the responsibility of the student.
Successful applicants residing outside of Calgary who require accommodation should contact rsotrainee@ucalgary.ca.
Applications and offers of award
HYRS applications must be written by the student.
The University reserves the right to confirm, through independent means, representations of authorship or credentials.
In the event of material deviations in the submitted information, the University reserves the right to disqualify any applicant from the competition.
Students offered an Alberta Innovates HYRS award will be required to accept or decline the offer by a date specified in the notification of the offer, with written approval of a parent or legal guardian. Students who decline the award may claim credit for the award on their curriculum vitae, noting that the award was declined.
Only two students per high school will be offered an Alberta Innovates HYRS award.
Communications
All publications, including public messages, arising from research supported by Alberta Innovates grants or awards must acknowledge the support.
Alberta Innovates reserves the right to publish and/or disseminate information regarding its grants and awards.
Alberta Innovates HYRS students are to conduct their research in a safe and ethical manner under the guidance of their mentors. During the period of the award they are to maintain regular working hours. In no case should HYRS students work more than 35 hours per week. Timesheets will be collected from all students to ensure adherence to this guideline.
HYRS students are expected to follow the procedures and rules of the research environment in which they conduct their research, including all policies governing research at the University of Calgary.
Students are required to attend all HYRS-related events, such as guest lectures, facility tours, and the Open House.
Students will be required to submit a final report to the University of Calgary Research Services Office upon completion of the award.
Students will also be required to give a presentation about their HYRS experiences to their high school science class.
Additional information will be provided to successful applicants.
Previous Alberta Innovates HYRS Recipients
In April 2016 the University of Calgary received 166 applications for Alberta Innovates Heritage Youth Researcher Summer (HYRS) awards.
The University is pleased to announce the names of the 22 successful candidates:
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2016 recipients
Student Name:
Student High School:
HYRS Mentor:
Mentor Faculty:
Aaron HoweBanff Community High School
Dr. Quan Long Cumming School of Medicine Alina Arvisais Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Academy Canmore, Alberta Dr. Walter Herzog Kinesiology Andrew Thompson Rundle College Jr. Sr. High School Dr. Tanvir Turin Chowdhury Cumming School of Medicine Aneri Patel Crescent Heights High School Dr. Susan Graham Arts Anya Siddons Bishop Carroll High School Dr. Carolyn Emery Kinesiology Ariadna Rolo Codorniu Notre Dame High School Dr. Jun Yan Cumming School of Medicine Ayman Shahriar John G. Diefenbaker High School Dr. Tao Dong Veterinary Medicine Brian Pham Bishop McNally High School Dr. Roberto Sotero Diaz Cumming School of Medicine Britney Wong Crescent Heights High School Dr. Norman Campbell Cumming School of Medicine Chenlu Wang Western Canada High School Dr. Sonja Wicklum Cumming School of Medicine Corrina Fowlow Sir Winston Churchill High School Dr. David Cramb Science Dani Kilani The Renert School Dr. Peng Huang Cumming School of Medicine Devin Aggarwal Westmount Charter School Dr. Mark Ungrin Veterinary Medicine Fatima Iqbal Calgary Islamic School Dr. Naweed Syed Cumming School of Medicine Kailyn Cook William Aberhart High School Dr. Karen Benzies Nursing Mehul Gupta Sir Winston Churchill High School Dr. Gerald Pfeffer Cumming School of Medicine Mohammed Mustafa Robert Thirsk High School Dr. David Hansen Science Rohan Kumar Rundle College Jr. Sr. High School Dr. Satish Raj Cumming School of Medicine Sanchit Chopra Western Canada High School Dr. Susan Kutz Veterinary Medicine Tyler Keeling Springbank Community High School Dr. Michael Antle Arts Victor Tong Dr. E. P. Scarlett High School Dr. Mark Ungrin Veterinary Medicine Zeel Patel Webber Academy Dr. Nicole Letourneau Nursing
In March 2017 the University of Calgary received 153 applications for Alberta Innovates Heritage Youth Researcher Summer (HYRS) awards.
The University is pleased to announce the names of the 22 successful candidates:
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2017 recipients
Student Name:
Student High School:
HYRS Mentor:
Mentor Faculty:
Anchita Shonak
The Renert School
Dr. Roman Krawetz
Cumming School of Medicine
Arzina Jaffer
Strathcona Tweedsmuir School
Dr. Eduardo Cobo
Veterinary Medicine
Colette Benko
St. Mary’s High School
Dr. Aru Narendran
Cumming School of Medicine
Curtis Ostertag
Springbank Community High School
Dr. Walter Herzog
Kinesiology
Jordan Hassett
Chestermere High School
Dr. C. Adam Kirton
Cumming School of Medicine
Joseph Girgis
St. Francis High School
Dr. Alexander Whalley
Arts
Joshua Huang
Sir Winston Churchill High School
Dr. Nicole Culos-Reed
Kinesiology
Katherine Hovdestad
Westmount Charter School
Dr. Mark Ungrin
Veterinary Medicine
Katherine (Xinyu) Liang
Western Canada High School
Dr. Guang Yang
Cumming School of Medicine
Kayleigh Yang
Western Canada High School
Dr. Marc Poulin
Cumming School of Medicine
Kiran Sandhu
Forest Lawn High School
Dr. Mark Ungrin
Veterinary Medicine
Lexi Hill
Rundle College Jr./Sr. High School
Dr. Craig Jenne
Cumming School of Medicine
Mackenzie Aranas
Hugh Sutherland School
Dr. Susan Kutz
Veterinary Medicine
Michael Potemkin
Westmount Charter School
Dr. Tao Dong
Veterinary Medicine
Onbee Kim
Robert Thirsk High School
Dr. Susan Graham
Arts
Rachel Shuck
Heritage Christian Academy
Dr. Turin Tanvir Chowdhury
Cumming School of Medicine
Richard Peng
Queen Elizabeth High School
Dr. John Gilleard
Veterinary Medicine
Rosie Zhao
Queen Elizabeth High School
Dr. Campbell Rolian
Cumming School of Medicine
Sarah Lambros
Springbank Community High School
Dr. Gerald Pfeffer
Cumming School of Medicine
Simone Campbell
John G. Diefenbaker High School
Dr. Quan Long
Cumming School of Medicine
Srijal Gupta
Robert Thirsk High School
Dr. Sergei Noskov
Science
Talia Beckie
St. Martin de Porres High School
Dr. Aneal Khan
Cumming School of Medicine
In March 2018 the University of Calgary received 106 applications for Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions Heritage Youth Researcher Summer (HYRS) awards.
The University is pleased to announce the names of the 22 successful candidates:
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2018 recipients
Student Name:
Student High School:
HYRS Mentor:
Mentor Faculty:
Aaron Abraham
Webber Academy
Dr. Qingrun Zhang
Cumming School of Medicine
Abby Hawken
Provost Public School
Dr. Mark Ungrin
Veterinary Medicine
Allison Guthrie
École Secondaire Notre Dame High School
Dr. Mark Ungrin
Veterinary Medicine
Annabella Bregazzi
Western Canada High School
Dr. Susan Graham
Arts
Anuradha Baishnob
Nelson Mandela High School
Dr. Dawn Kingston
Nursing
Aryan Zawari
Chestermere High School
Dr. Steven Greenway
Cumming School of Medicine
Azin Dolatabadi
Medicine Hat High School
Dr. Laura Sycuro
Cumming School of Medicine
Emily Laycock
Crescent Heights High School
Dr. Kirsten Fiest
Cumming School of Medicine
Jackson Cooper
William Aberhart High School
Dr. Naweed Syed
Cumming School of Medicine
Julia Beaumont
St. Francis High School
Dr. Walter Herzog
Kinesiology
Katherine Yuan
Western Canada High School
Dr. Stephanie Borgland
Cumming School of Medicine
Maggie Thai
John G. Diefenbaker High School
Dr. Laura Curiel
Schulich School of Engineering
Mariam Ali
West Island College (WIC)
Dr. Faizal Abdul Careem
Veterinary Medicine
Mataea Armstrong
W.H. Croxford High School
Dr. Guang Yang
Cumming School of Medicine
Peter Gobran
St. Francis High School
Dr. Gerald Giesbrecht
Cumming School of Medicine
Serena Zhang
Bishop Carroll High School
Dr. Jiami Guo
Cumming School of Medicine
Shyla Bharadia
Foundations for the Future Charter Academy (FFCA)
Dr. Karen Benzies
Nursing
Simran Sandhu
Renert School
Dr. Derek Exner
Cumming School of Medicine
Sunaina Rangarajan
Renert School
Dr. Linda Duffett-Leger
Nursing
Thérèse Poulin
William Aberhart High School
Dr. Marc Poulin
Cumming School of Medicine
Ye-Jean Park
Webber Academy
Dr. Paul Mains
Cumming School of Medicine
Zainab Ali
Westmount Charter High School
Dr. Tanvir Turin Chowdhury
Cumming School of Medicine
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2019 recipients