Undergraduate Introduction to Research Scholarships

• Undergraduate students.
• Fields of study: These scholarships support research in the areas delineated in our Canada First funding proposal: data science in the broad sense, encompassing methodological research in data science (machine learning, operations research, statistics) and its applications in multiple sectors, including our priority sectors (health, transportation and logistics, energy, business, and finance) and any other sector of application (e.g., sociology, physics, linguistics, engineering).

The goals of this program are to:

• Provide an introduction to university research;
• Encourage you to continue on to graduate studies;
• Familiarize you with the methods and fields we promote at IVADO.

Date of next competition: To be sure you’re notified of the competition announcement, subscribe to our newsletter and join our Facebook group dedicated to the IVADO student community!

Previous competition calendar for information purposes:

• Opening of the competition: May 11, 2020, 9 a.m. EDT
• Application deadline: May 20, 2020, 1 p.m. EDT
• Expected results notification date: June 2020
• Funding start date: June 1, 2020

Amount and duration

This scholarship will entitle you to up to $5,000 over a maximum funding period of 12 weeks.

Terms of payment

The funds will be transferred to the research office of the supervisor’s home university, and the university will remit payment to you according to its specific rules. For projects requiring ethics approval, funds will not be released until approval is granted. Some projects may require specific agreements (e.g., pertaining to intellectual property).

For students

• Enrolment in an undergraduate program at HEC Montréal, Polytechnique Montréal or Université de Montréal. You may also be enrolled at the University of Alberta or McGill University;
• Minimum grade average of B+ (or the equivalent GPA: 3.3/4.3 or 3/4). The average considered is the cumulative average appearing on the transcript for the semester preceding the competition date;
• You must have completed at least 24 credits as of the beginning of the internship.

For the professor filing the application (supervisor)

• You must be a faculty member at HEC Montréal, Polytechnique Montréal or Université de Montréal;
• If you are a faculty member at the University of Alberta or McGill University, you may be a supervisor provided that you are also a full member of one of our research groups (Mila, CIRRELT, GERAD, CERC in Data Science for Real-Time Decision-making, CRM, Tech3Lab);
• You must have one of the following eligible statuses: assistant professor, associate professor, full professor, research professor, or visiting professor. Adjunct professors are not eligible;
• You may not submit more than three applications for this competition.

For the potential co-supervisor, there are no constraints.

Go to our dedicated online platform to apply.

/!\ Applications submitted by e-mail will be automatically rejected.

The application package must include:

• A questionnaire to be completed on the dedicated platform;
• A plain-language description of the project (maximum one page);
• The applicant’s CV (free format);
• The applicant’s official academic transcripts (please explain the grading scale in the case of non-Canadian universities).

Applications will be reviewed to ensure compliance with the program criteria (e.g., applications must be complete, must comply with the page limit, and must list eligible applicants and supervisors only) and obvious alignment of the research project with the field of digital intelligence. Only applications that meet all criteria will be forwarded to the review committee.

The review committee will verify that the proposed internship project aligns with IVADO’s scientific orientations, and then rank the applications based on excellence as well as the projects’ alignment with IVADO’s overarching framework, which aims to promote multidisciplinary collaboration and diversity in digital intelligence.

With regard to excellence, the committee will specifically assess:

1. The applicant’s grades, multidisciplinary and professional experience, extra-academic activities, collaborations, contributions to the scientific community and to society as a whole, etc.
2. The quality of the proposed internship: the quality of the research project that the student proposes to conduct, but also opportunities for training and introduction to research, the likelihood that the student would be encourage to continue on to graduate studies, the complexity of the proposed internship and consistency with the candidate’s profile, etc.
3. In instances of equivalent competency, preference will be given to a competent student from one of the designated groups.

For students

• Be physically present at the supervisor’s home university;
• Contribute to the IVADO community and our activities, including, e.g.:
  – giving presentations on your research;
  – taking part in training and knowledge dissemination activities; and
  – providing support during various activities.
• Acknowledge that you are a member of an academic community to which you will contribute;
• Comply with the Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications. You are encouraged to publish your research findings (e.g., papers, recordings of presentations, source code, databases) in compliance with the intellectual property rules governing your specific situation;
• Acknowledge the support of IVADO and the Canada First Research Excellence Fund / Apogée when disseminating research results and, more broadly, in all activities in which you take part.

For the supervisor

• Furnish a work environment conducive to completion of the project;
• Oversee the student’s work.

Our commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

To ensure all members of society draw equal benefit from the advancement of knowledge and opportunities in digital intelligence, we promote principles of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion across all of our programs, and we commit to providing a recruitment process and research setting that are inclusive, non-discriminatory, open, and transparent.

List of laureates

• What is the equivalent of a grade of B+?

HEC Montréal: 3.3/4.3
Polytechnique Montréal: 3/4
Université de Montréal: 3.3/4.3

• How long should the internship be?

The internship must last between 6 and 12 weeks. The scholarship amount is $5,000 over 12 weeks, and will be pro-rated for shorter terms.

• I am not registered for the summer session, but I am still an undergraduate student. Am I still eligible for an IVADO scholarship?

Yes. Enrolment in the session during which the internship is to take place is not mandatory.

• Can an internship funded by an IVADO scholarship earn academic credit?

Yes, provided that the activity credited respects the spirit of the scholarship, in particular the introduction to research aspect.

• Can I be enrolled in a course and do an IVADO internship during the same session?

Yes, as long as the internship supervisor approves it, and there is clear agreement on working hours. The number of internship hours per week, however, must be equivalent to full time.

• I am on a student visa. Am I eligible for an IVADO scholarship?

Yes, provided that your CAQ and study permit remain valid for the duration of the internship. For more information about whether you need to be enrolled in an undergraduate program, please contact your university.

• I’ve just completed my program in the fall. Am I eligible for an IVADO scholarship?

Depending on the institution where you plan to do your internship, it may be accepted. Please contact the appropriate resource person at the institution in question.

• Can this IVADO scholarship be combined with an NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA)?

No.

• Does my CV need to be in a specific format?

No, there is no particular CV format to be followed. Note, however, that each element of your application package must help the members of the review committee to form an opinion. A CV that is too long or confusing may make assessment more difficult.

• Can I send my unofficial transcripts?

No. You must scan your official transcripts, including all your current results, and upload them to the dedicated platform.

Have other questions? Please send them to: : programmes-excellence@ivado.ca