韩国裸舞

Gwendolyn Owens, Director of Curatorial Affairs for the Visual Arts Collection

The Visual Arts Collection (VAC) at 韩国裸舞 Libraries features nearly 3,500 works displayed across campus, including over 190 by Indigenous artists. As an IMPRESS Student, you will work closely with VAC curatorial staff to help plan and create new curated spaces on campus. You will research artworks, write wall labels and tour scripts, and create communication materials such as blog posts to contextualize the collection for diverse audiences. You will also support ongoing VAC activities, including cataloging artworks in a database, meeting donors, and leading art tours. This role provides a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience under the guidance of museum professionals. Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and teamwork are essential for this enriching experience, ideal for anyone aspiring to a career in the arts or museums.

Claudia Mitchell, Professor, Participatory Cultures Lab, Department of Integrated Studies in Education

TRANSFORM: Engaging with Young People for Social Change (2024鈥�2030) is a SSHRC-funded global partnership focused on gender transformation (GT)鈥攃hallenging and disrupting gender norms. The project spans sites in Argentina, Canada, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and South Africa, engaging young people in exploring, imagining, and driving GT through the arts. With 40 researchers, 16 partner universities, and 10 partner organizations (including NGOs, policy actors, and publishers), TRANSFORM supports youth-led interventions that highlight how young people experience and enact social change. This initiative fosters collaboration between academic and community partners to create meaningful, arts-based approaches to advancing gender equity worldwide.

Dennis Wendt, Associate Professor

As an IMPRESS student, you will have the opportunity to work on projects focused on partnerships with Indigenous communities to address mental health, substance use health, and community wellness. Your specific project will be determined based on your interests and the current needs of the research team. Key initiatives include understanding the post-pandemic impact on substance use services for Indigenous communities in Quebec and Atlantic Canada, exploring community perspectives on structural factors in harm reduction, improving aftercare services for Indigenous individuals receiving substance use treatment, and supporting family-based approaches to addiction care. This experience will allow you to contribute meaningfully to community-driven solutions while gaining valuable research and engagement skills.

Ipek Tureli, Associate Professor, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Architecture

In this project, you will explore how Indigenous communities in Montreal experience, create, and narrate night spaces, considering the ways identity factors like race, gender, sexuality, class, and age shape these experiences. You'll investigate traditional public spaces (e.g., streets, squares), private spaces, semi-public spaces like community centers, commercial and cultural venues, and virtual spaces (such as digital apps). You'll examine how night spaces can be sites of risk, care, crisis, regeneration, memory, heritage, and community solidarity.

Your work will include observations, interviews with professionals (e.g., social/community workers), and analyzing cultural forms (e.g., music, film). The final outcome will be a 5,000-word report, organized by themes, and illustrated with drawings and photographs.

Wenniseri:iostha Jock, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Family Medicine

Join a research project that aligns with your interests and supports Indigenous community health and well-being. Current projects include community mobilization during the pandemic, diabetes prevention initiatives, developing Indigenous methodologies in implementation science, and a national study on First Nations children and youth health. You鈥檒l work closely with the research lead to tailor your experience, contributing to meaningful projects that prioritize Indigenous perspectives and community engagement. This is an opportunity to build research skills, deepen your understanding of community health, and make an impact in collaboration with Indigenous partners.

Sirui Zhou, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Human Genetics, Zhou Lab

This project focuses on understanding the genetic factors that contribute to the increased risk of intracranial aneurysm (IA), a cerebrovascular disease that can lead to fatal subarachnoid hemorrhagic strokes. Certain populations, such as Finnish, Japanese, and Inuit, have been found to have higher risks for IA, and we hypothesize that genetic background and gene-environment interactions may play a significant role in its development. As a student involved in this project, you will assist in applying population genetics and genetic epidemiology methodologies, using genomics and multi-omics data from an Inuit IA cohort in Northern Quebec. Your work will contribute to identifying genetic determinants that increase the risk of IA in this underrepresented population. The findings from this study will help develop future screening guidelines to identify at-risk individuals and contribute to therapeutic options for IA.

Vidya Iyer, Professor,听Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry

Indigenous youth face unique challenges in accessing mental health care, from intergenerational trauma to culturally inappropriate services. As part of the ACCESS Open Minds (AOM) network, you鈥檒l help create real change by contributing to a scoping review that builds evidence for better mental health services. Working closely with two Indigenous community partners and youth, you鈥檒l help identify key research questions, analyze data, and share findings that will guide culturally grounded, community-led mental health innovations. Your work will inform new approaches to care, with results shared on the AOM network鈥檚 platform and in scientific publications. This is a unique opportunity to support Indigenous youth wellness while gaining hands-on experience in collaborative, impactful research.

Mallar Chakravarty, Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Psychiatry - IPN

In our lab, we use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study brain structure and function, focusing on how brains change over the lifespan and how risk factors may lead to diseases like schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, or Parkinson's. We work with both human data and animal models, applying advanced computational techniques to analyze brain changes.

Your summer project will be designed in collaboration with you to ensure you get the most out of your experience. You鈥檒l have the opportunity to explore cutting-edge research in brain science and gain hands-on experience in both imaging techniques and computational analysis.

Sarah Racine, Associate Professor, Faculty of Science, Department of Psychology, BEEP Lab

Eating disorders, like bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder, are complex mental health conditions influenced by various factors. Our research focuses on one of these factors: reward processing. We believe that the way people process food and non-food rewards changes as an eating disorder develops, from the at-risk stage to early illness and to an established disorder. In this longitudinal study, we follow individuals at risk for eating disorders and those who have had one for less than 3 years. As a research student, you'll help run participant visits, gain experience with informed consent, psychophysiology assessment, and data entry, and participate in weekly lab meetings where you鈥檒l present an article of your choice.

Murray Humphries, Professor, Department of Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Join our Northern Wildlife Knowledges research group and collaborate with Cree, Inuit, Inuvialuit, and Gwich鈥檌n communities to protect wildlife and traditional food systems. From caribou and beluga to polar bears and moose, we study key species using mixed methods鈥攃ombining field research, mapping, and Indigenous Knowledge through interviews and workshops. As an intern, you'll assist in data collection and analysis, support community engagement activities, and contribute to the co-creation of knowledge that supports conservation and community stewardship.

Treena Wasonti:io Delormier, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, School of Human Nutrition

This project focuses on creating a culturally adapted food guide for the Kanien鈥檏eh脿:ka community of Kahnaw脿:ke. Unlike the 2019 Canada Food Guide, which often overlooks the cultural, historical, and environmental realities of Indigenous communities, this guide will integrate traditional knowledge and emphasize the interconnected physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of a healthy diet.

As a student intern, you鈥檒l assist with data collection, community engagement, and analysis, contributing to a resource that supports food sovereignty and reflects the unique knowledge and values of Onkwehonwe food systems.

Djordje Romanic, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Science, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences

Extreme wind events, like thunderstorms and tornadoes, can cause significant damage to homes, infrastructure, and the environment. Indigenous communities face unique challenges in dealing with these events due to geographic isolation, limited resources, and the cultural importance of affected landscapes. This project aims to document wind damage in Indigenous communities to better understand their vulnerabilities and support resilience efforts.

You鈥檒l analyze data from storm reports, satellite imagery, and local accounts to identify patterns of wind damage in select communities across Canada. By collaborating with Indigenous partners, you鈥檒l ensure the research respects cultural values. This project will give you experience in data analysis, scientific writing, and publishing, while contributing to strategies for disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation.

Isabeau Pr茅mont-Schwarz, Professor, Faculty of Science, School of Computer Science

In this project, you will work on developing new neuroscience-inspired artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. Potential topics include designing content-addressable episodic memories for forecasting, which are inspired by the brain's memory systems. You will also explore improving combinatorial generalization in AI systems, allowing them to make better predictions across various tasks. Additionally, you will contribute to developing bio-inspired simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithms for robots, enabling them to navigate environments using cameras and raw pixels. Another key area of focus will be addressing catastrophic forgetting in Hebbian learning by simulating biological synaptic dynamics to improve the long-term stability of neural networks. Throughout the project, you will be involved in designing, testing, and refining these AI algorithms, drawing on neuroscience to solve complex challenges in machine learning and robotics.

Peter Douglas, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Science, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences

Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, and landfills are a key source of its emissions worldwide. In Montreal, both active and closed landfills are designed to capture methane for energy, but some hotspots still release significant amounts of methane into the atmosphere. This project will focus on identifying these hotspots, measuring methane emissions, and understanding the carbon sources driving them.

You will visit landfills weekly to collect gas samples using flux chambers and analyze them in the lab to measure methane and carbon dioxide levels. You will also determine carbon isotope ratios and may prepare samples for advanced tests like radiocarbon analysis. After collecting data, you will compare your findings with previous datasets to identify trends and patterns.

Mallik Mahmud, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Science, Department of Geography, Dr. Mahmud鈥檚 Lab

The Arctic is warming five times faster than the global average, which has major impacts on Arctic communities, including their environment, livelihoods, and cultural practices. This IMPRESS research project will explore how Arctic Sea ice information is communicated to northern communities, focusing on the types of information that are most valuable, how it is generated, and the methods used to share it. You鈥檒l work with a mixed-methods approach, reviewing studies, reports, and policies, identifying knowledge gaps, and examining satellite imagery, the primary source of sea ice data. By the end of the project, you鈥檒l gain a comprehensive understanding of how sea ice information is produced, shared, and how it can be improved for better community use.

Henri Darmon, Professor, Faculty of Science, Department of Mathematics and Statistics

This project will introduce you to elliptic curves and modular forms, key concepts in Andrew Wiles鈥檚 proof of Fermat鈥檚 Last Theorem鈥攐ne of the greatest achievements in mathematics. You鈥檒l learn the basics of these mathematical ideas and use hands-on computer experimentation to create educational materials that make these complex concepts accessible to a broader audience. This project will help you explore the fascinating connections between number theory and contribute to sharing this important mathematical breakthrough with others.

Abbas Khalili Mahmoudabadi, Professor, Faculty of Science, Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Recent advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) have highlighted the remarkable success of Neural Networks (NN) in various applications. However, the over-parameterized nature of NNs often hinders their interpretability, particularly in the analysis of large-scale datasets.

In the first stage of this project, an IMPRESS student will focus on understanding the mathematical structure of NNs and gaining familiarity with available software tools for training and implementing NNs on real-world datasets. The second stage of the project will involve exploring and applying sparsification techniques to NNs, aiming to enhance their efficiency and interpretability when tackling practical problems. Finally, we will focus on analyzing a real data set in a topic chosen by the student.

Cynthia Chiang, Associate Professor, Faculty of Science, Department of Physics, 韩国裸舞 Radio Lab

Are you ready to dive into an exciting project that blends climate change research and radio astronomy? As global temperatures rise, permafrost鈥攆rozen soil crucial to northern ecosystems鈥攖haws, threatening both the environment and infrastructure. This project connects geophysics with radio astronomy to explore this issue. You'll work on a cutting-edge prototype that measures permafrost dynamics using radio waves, contributing to the MIST experiment, which studies the earliest stars and galaxies from the Arctic. Your role will involve designing instruments, conducting field tests, and analyzing data, all while fostering collaboration across disciplines. Get hands-on experience at the intersection of climate science and astronomy!

Thomas Brunner, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Science, Department of Physics

Ever wondered how the tiniest particles shape our universe? Neutrinos are invisible, ghostly particles that zip through you every second without you noticing. In this project, you'll dive into the fascinating world of particle physics at the Brunner Neutrino Lab. You'll help search for rare radioactive decays that don鈥檛 release neutrinos鈥攁 discovery that could shake up our understanding of the fundamental building blocks of the universe. You'll get hands-on experience in designing experiments, analyzing data, and exploring the mysteries of these elusive particles. Ready to uncover what鈥檚 hidden in the tiniest corners of the cosmos? This project is your chance to contribute to groundbreaking research in physics!

Peter Grutter, Professor,听Faculty of Science, Department of Physics

In this project, you will learn about and then use an atomic force microscope (AFM). AFMs can image and manipulate atoms. AFMs work by very carefully 'touching' a surface with a very sharp tip and generating images by scanning the sample, similar to you running your finger over a surface and sensing its roughness. You will use it to image single atom thin materials with future potential applications in information processing and energy generation.

Daryl Haggard, Associate Professor, Faculty of Science, Department of Physics

Black Hole Movies in Multicolour. This project explores the groundbreaking images of black hole shadows captured by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT). While these images are limited to a few wavelengths of light, you will combine data from the EHT and other telescopes to create multicolour "movies" of black hole shadows over time. These movies will provide new insights into how black holes function as some of the most powerful energy generators in the Universe. By participating, you鈥檒l gain experience in data integration and astrophysical analysis, contributing to an exciting area of research in modern astronomy.

Nicolas Cowan, Associate Professor, Faculty of Science, Department of Physics

Exploring Exoplanets with the Ariel Space Telescope. Astronomers have discovered thousands of planets orbiting stars beyond our Sun, and studying their atmospheres is a key focus in modern astronomy. As a summer researcher, you will join the 韩国裸舞 Exoplanet Characterization Alliance to work with Professor Cowan on selecting targets for the Ariel mission鈥攁 space telescope set to launch in 2029 to study the atmospheres of a thousand exoplanets.

You will predict the signal and noise for known exoplanets and planetary candidates, helping to refine the list of targets. This refined sample will allow for efficient use of observation time and help detect trends in the broader exoplanet population. This hands-on project offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to the planning of a groundbreaking space mission.

Michael Hilke, Associate Professor, Faculty of Science, Department of Physics

鈥淣ew physics in twisted materials鈥� Recently, physicists have discovered that by stacking together two layers of crystals, new materials can be made with fascinating properties. For instance, in some cases there can be superconductivity, where the material can conduct electricity with no resistance. This project will investigate a different aspect of these materials: how they vibrate at a microscopic level and how well they can conduct heat. This is a very hands-on project, which requires some patience, consistency, and the ability to learn and operate new technologies.

Nikolas Provatas, Professor, Faculty of Science, Department of Physics

In this Materials Science with Artificial Intelligence (AI) project, you will investigate the rapid cooling of liquid metal through simulations on a supercomputer. While powerful, these simulations are unable to include enough atoms for the results to be directly compared to lab experiments. To overcome this limitation, we will use new techniques from AI/machine learning that enable large-scale simulations of the evolution of liquids to solids.

Tasmia Hai, Professor, Department of Educational and counselling Psychology

Children, especially from racialized communities, are deeply affected by negative social determinants of health (SDH) like poverty, racism, and family stress, which impact their mental health and cognitive development. My research is investigating how these factors influence children鈥檚 well-being, focusing on cognitive, behavioral, and neuroimaging data.

As a student in this project, you鈥檒l have the opportunity to participate in data collection and analysis and contribute to knowledge translation activities. This hands-on experience will help you understand how SDH impact children and their families, especially those from racialized backgrounds, and contributes to efforts aimed at improving their health and development.

Albert Berghuis, Professor,听School of Biomedical Studies, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology & Immunology 鈥� Centre for Structural Biology - Berghuis Lab

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the greatest global health threats, causing nearly 5 million deaths annually鈥攁 number expected to rise to over 8 million by 2050 without urgent action. Developing new antibiotics that overcome resistance is critical. In this project, you鈥檒l investigate how microbes resist even the newest antibiotics using cutting-edge structural biology and computational techniques.

You鈥檒l learn to produce and purify resistance-causing proteins and prepare them for structural studies like X-ray diffraction and cryo-electron microscopy. By uncovering atomic-level details of resistance, you鈥檒l explore how this knowledge can lead to more effective antibiotics. This project offers hands-on experience in biomedical research and highlights how fundamental science can address global challenges.

Alba Guarne Cabello, Professor, School of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry 鈥� Centre for Structural Biology, Guarne Lab.

Bacterial DNA transposons, like the Tn7 element, are mobile genetic elements that drive evolution and the spread of antibiotic resistance. Our lab studies how Tn7 selects specific DNA target sites for precise insertions. Recently, Tn7 has gained attention for its ability to be programmed for targeted DNA insertion, making it a promising tool for genetic engineering.

In this project, you鈥檒l join a team of graduate students to investigate how Tn7 proteins interact with DNA and recognize insertion sites. Using biochemical and biophysical techniques, you鈥檒l gain hands-on experience exploring the mechanisms behind Tn7鈥檚 function and its potential applications in genetic engineering.

Yann Joly, Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine and Heath Sciences - Centre of Genomics and Policy, Department of Human Genetics, D2R

Exploring Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues (ELSI) in RNA Technologies and Therapeutics

This project is the first to systematically examine the ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) related to the rapid adoption of RNA technologies in research and medicine. It focuses on ensuring equity-seeking groups have a voice in shaping policies during this pivotal time

You will help conduct a scoping literature review to identify gaps in current knowledge. Following this, you will participate in a Delphi study, where experts share and refine their views on ELSI topics related to RNA technology until a clear consensus or disagreement emerges. In parallel, you will engage with representatives from vulnerable and equity-seeking groups to gather their perspectives.

Your work will contribute to creating an ethical roadmap and generating solutions that inform future regulatory and policy decisions in RNA technologies.

Ma鈥檔 Zawati, Associate Professor, Centre of Genomics and Policy, Department of Human Genetics, D2R

This project invites you to explore how AI can transform medicine responsibly while addressing ethical challenges. Biomarkers, like genetic mutations, are clues in your DNA that help doctors design treatments tailored to individuals, moving beyond one-size-fits-all care.

AI can analyze massive datasets to discover these biomarkers, unlocking breakthroughs for diseases like cancer. However, it raises concerns about privacy, fairness, and ensuring benefits reach everyone, especially marginalized communities.

As part of this project, you鈥檒l dive into laws and policies shaping AI in healthcare. You鈥檒l also conduct interviews with experts and lead focus groups with diverse participants to understand public trust in AI and its ethical challenges. Your work will contribute to creating guidelines that make AI-driven medicine fair, responsible, and equitable for all.

Simon Wing, Professor,听Department of Medicine 鈥� IPN

Alzheimer鈥檚 disease is a progressive disorder caused by the buildup and spread of protein aggregates in brain neurons. While early diagnosis is now possible, effective treatments to stop disease progression are still lacking. Our lab has discovered that an enzyme called USP19 promotes the spread of these protein aggregates.

In this project, you鈥檒l help investigate the mechanisms behind USP19鈥檚 role and explore potential therapies. We鈥檙e collaborating with a company that has developed USP19 inhibitors, testing their potential as treatments for Alzheimer鈥檚 and other neurodegenerative diseases. This research offers hands-on experience in biomedical science and the opportunity to contribute to developing innovative therapies for devastating disorders.

Sali Farhan, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, and Human Genetics, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, Farhan Lab

In the Farhan Lab, we analyze multi-omic data to understand the genetic causes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). You'll work with the Answer ALS dataset, which includes genetic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and clinical data from nearly 1000 ALS patients. As an IMPRESS student, you鈥檒l assist with quality control, statistical analyses, and use machine learning approaches to explore how genetic factors contribute to ALS. This is an opportunity to develop coding, statistical, and high-performance computing skills in a research setting. If you're interested, you may also learn how genetic variants impact ALS risk. Join us to contribute to ALS research and gain valuable experience in computational biology.

Maiya Geddes, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Faculty of Neurology and Neurosurgery - HBHL

While there is no cure for dementia, risk can be reduced through lifestyle changes like physical activity, a healthy diet, and social engagement. However, factors like income, education, and healthcare access鈥攌nown as structural and social determinants of health (SSDH)鈥攊nfluence a person鈥檚 ability to adopt these habits, and help explain why some Canadian communities experience higher dementia rates.

This project, part of the Healthy Brains, Healthy Lives initiative, aims to develop guidelines for integrating SSDH into dementia research. As part of the team, you鈥檒l review current practices, compare them to best practices, and help design a standardized questionnaire that captures SSDH data across the lifespan. Your work will contribute to knowledge mobilization efforts to promote the use of this tool in Canadian studies, helping improve dementia research and inform policies to reduce health disparities.

Blake Richards, Associate Professor,听Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences & School of Computer Science, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery - HBHL

In this project, you will help test artificial intelligence (AI) agents on a cooperative task, where success depends on the agents working together and sharing limited resources. The task involves a set of finite resources that all agents must use to reach their goals, so cooperation is key. Current AI systems struggle with these types of tasks, and our goal is to better understand why. You will run AI models on this task and analyze their behaviors to identify their failure modes. This project will give you hands-on experience in AI testing, data analysis, and understanding AI cooperation challenges

Stephane Richard, Professor, Division of Clinical and Translational Research, Department of Medicine 鈥� Jewish General Hospital - D2R

Project 1: This project focuses on identifying circular RNAs (ciRNAs) that accumulate abnormally in human cancer cells and the sera of cancer patients. You will contribute to genome-wide screening efforts, which are part of a larger initiative in population studies and genomics medicine. Through this project, you will learn how ciRNAs may play a role in cancer and how this research could pave the way for better cancer diagnostics and treatments.

Project 2: In this project, you will use proteomics and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to identify proteins and mRNAs that bind to ciRNAs. You will also analyze public data using bioinformatics and computational tools to discover ciRNAs in cancer patients' body fluids, aiming to identify potential non-invasive biomarkers for diagnosing and predicting cancer. This project will give you hands-on experience in data science, bioinformatics, and their applications in personalized medicine.

Delphine Raucher-Ch茅n茅, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Psychiatry - IPN

This project aims to improve job sustainability for individuals living with bipolar disorder through a psychosocial intervention called Minds@Work. Research shows that 40-60% of people with bipolar disorder are either unemployed or struggle to keep their jobs. Since satisfaction with social roles is an important part of recovery, helping people maintain employment is a critical focus. As a student involved in this project, you will assist in recruiting 30 individuals, aged 18 or older, who are receiving services at the Douglas Institute and have a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Participants will take part in a two-and-a-half-month intervention, which includes pre- and post-intervention assessments and two two-hour visits. As an intern you will help facilitate Minds@Work, which consists of nine weekly modules covering topics like character strengths, motivation, self-compassion, problem-solving, cognitive biases, emotion regulation, and communication skills. Your role will involve helping assess the intervention's acceptability, feasibility, and potential effectiveness in improving employment outcomes for this population.

Genevieve Sauve, Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Psychiatry

Many people living with mental illness face challenges finding and keeping jobs, despite most wanting and being able to work. For those employed, their average job tenure is only 8 months, compared to 8.5 years for the general population. Work provides numerous benefits for mental health, such as reducing isolation and improving independence, making it an essential part of recovery.

To address this gap, we developed a psychosocial group intervention designed to help people with mental illness increase job tenure while receiving employability services. Over 100 participants completed the intervention, which was co-facilitated by employment counselors at employability centers in Quebec.

You will contribute to analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data, including participant interviews, and help with knowledge-sharing efforts to improve support for individuals with mental illness.

Manuela Ferrari, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry 鈥� HBHL

The Road Ahead project, funded by SSHRC and led by the Gaming Against Stigma advisory group, involves 13 young gamers, some with lived experience of mental illness, who are committed to reducing mental health stigma through gaming. This youth-led project creates The Road Ahead, a top-down role-playing game exploring youth mental health during Covid-19. The game, made with RPG Maker software, is designed to help young people process emotions and experiences in an engaging way, promoting recovery and reducing isolation.

As a student in this project, you鈥檒l help build a theoretical framework for creating youth-led video games for mental well-being. You鈥檒l work with youth participants on game design and contribute to research that shapes future digital mental health interventions.

Mallar Chakravarty, Associate Professor,听Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Psychiatry - IPN

In our lab, we use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study brain structure and function, focusing on how brains change over the lifespan and how risk factors may lead to diseases like schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, or Parkinson's. We work with both human data and animal models, applying advanced computational techniques to analyze brain changes.

Your summer project will be designed in collaboration with you to ensure you get the most out of your experience. You鈥檒l have the opportunity to explore cutting-edge research in brain science and gain hands-on experience in both imaging techniques and computational analysis.

Maxime Montembeault, Assistant Professor,听Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Psychiatry - HBHL

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) affects brain areas responsible for behavior, language, and decision-making, and is one of the most common dementias in adults under 65. This project will explore whether bilingualism, which enhances cognitive flexibility, can protect against the effects of FTD. Bilingualism contributes to "cognitive reserve," helping the brain adapt despite damage.

As a student on this project, you'll assist with analyzing cognitive assessment data from patients. We鈥檒l examine whether bilingual individuals with FTD show slower symptom progression or better performance in cognitive and language tasks. If bilingualism proves to be a protective factor, it could highlight how managing multiple languages helps the brain compensate for damage caused by FTD.

Rachel Rabin, Assistant Professor,听Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Psychiatry

Join our research team to explore the complex relationship between cannabis use and ADHD! Many individuals with ADHD have higher rates of cannabis use, but it鈥檚 unclear whether cannabis helps manage symptoms or makes them worse.

As an intern, you'll assist in examining how 28 days of cannabis abstinence impacts ADHD-related symptoms like inattention in individuals with high ADHD symptoms and problematic cannabis use. You鈥檒l also help compare cannabis use patterns between those with high and low ADHD symptoms, exploring factors such as age of onset and consumption habits.

This project offers a unique opportunity to contribute to understanding how cannabis affects ADHD and informs public health discussions surrounding cannabis use.

Martin Lepage, Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychology

In collaboration with Inuit and health professionals, we developed a culturally adapted psychotherapy that integrates emotion regulation techniques with virtual reality (VR) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This innovative approach helps clients build psychological resilience and well-being by exposing them to tailored scenarios in a safe environment while learning healthier emotional control strategies.

You will contribute to a pilot feasibility study involving urban Inuit participants from the Montreal area. The study aims to recruit 20 participants and address two key objectives:

1. Assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of VR-CBT on mental health, including improvements in emotional regulation, well-being, and symptoms like anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

2. Confirm the cultural safety and acceptance of the therapy by analyzing qualitative interviews conducted during and after the intervention.

Your involvement will support meaningful research and the potential broader implementation of this therapy across Quebec.

Am茅lie Quesnel-Vall茅e, Professor, Canada Research Chair in Policies and Health Inequalities,听CAnD3

Our project, 鈥淓xamining Social Inequalities in the Well-Being of Caregivers,鈥� focuses on understanding the diverse experiences of caregivers in Canada, especially seniors. While caregiving reduces long-term care placements and fiscal costs, it often impacts caregivers鈥� financial, mental, and physical health. Quebec has introduced laws and a national action plan to support caregivers, but their experiences remain highly varied and underexplored. This study uses a conceptual model to examine how personal, structural, and caregiving context factors shape outcomes, including potential positive impacts. Findings will inform policies to improve caregivers鈥� well-being. As a student, you鈥檒l contribute to data analysis, assist a postdoctoral researcher in publishing work on population aging, and help implement our knowledge mobilization strategy to share findings with key stakeholders.

Alanna Watt, Associate Professor,听Faculty of Science, Department of Biology 鈥� IPN, Watt Lab.

In the Watt lab, we study why some neurons die while others survive in neurodegenerative diseases, focusing on spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 (SCA6), a human motor disease. We believe that the insights we gain from SCA6 could help us understand other diseases as well. This summer, you鈥檒l investigate how changes in intracellular trafficking contribute to neuron death in SCA6. We suspect that neurons that survive in SCA6 may not show the same disruptions in trafficking. Using imaging, you鈥檒l visualize proteins involved in this process in both susceptible and resilient brain regions. This project will help you develop general lab skills and image-analysis techniques.

Anna Weinberg, Associate Professor,听Faculty of Science, Department of Psychology 鈥� HBHL

Anxiety and depression often run in families, with children of affected parents at higher risk for developing these conditions. Our lab is exploring WHY and HOW these clinical phenomena are passed across generations, focusing on the role of the developing brain. We are collecting neural data from large samples of adolescents and infants to answer these questions.

As a summer student, you'll be trained in participant recruitment, EEG data collection, and using multiple methods, such as neural (EEG), behavioral, and ecological momentary assessments. You'll also learn to process EEG/ERP data, code participant interactions, and analyze complex datasets. At the end of the summer, you'll present your project at a lab meeting and receive feedback on your research and presentation skills