Student-driven research is a core pillar of CHASI, and undergraduate students are at the centre of all of CHASI’s work, from proposal to delivery. On March 15, the CHASI team had the opportunity to highlight the role of students at Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Empowering Minds: Inspiring and Showcasing Undergraduate Research conference.
The conference focused on the idea that “engaging undergraduates in research provides them with learning experiences beyond traditional classrooms” and offered “best practices, strategies, resources, and success stories” to empower students and educators engaged in research.
CHASI undergraduate students Ekaterina Marenkov, Miranda Erickson, Lynsie Beaulieu, and Mara Penner attended the conference alongside CHASI director Dr. Martha Dow and lead researcher Chelsea Klassen. There, they presented a variety of CHASI research, as well as taking part in a discussion of the unique, community-driven model that powers CHASI, and how other institutions could use similar approaches.
The team presented:
- Ekaterina Marenkov & Mara Penner: Advancing Food Equity in Abbotsford, BC: Building a Resilient Food System
- Lynsie Beaulieu: Understanding Issues Facing Older Lesbians: Sexual Orientation Concealment & the Erosion of Authenticity
- Miranda Erickson: “This is ultimately a spiritual battle”: Action4Canada and the Construction of ‘Political LGBTQ Activism’