When Globalink Research intern Xiaoyang Li arrived in London, Ontario in early August, the first thing he noticed was London’s clean air and the difference in rush hour traffic compared to back home. Hailing from China’s Tianjin University, Xiaoyang is in Canada for 12 weeks working with a team of researchers in the Department of Computer Science at Western University on a project called “RoadLab.”  

The sights and sounds of Ottawa in the summer are not to be missed, but for Globalink Research intern Yukun Huang, it’s the city’s night skies that he most looks forward to. Yukun’s fascination with space began at a young age with the purchase of his first telescope. Over the years that interest has grown, and has led him to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering at China’s Harbin Institute of Technology with the hopes of one day working in the aerospace industry.

China’s civil infrastructure planners often face significant challenges when considering ways to encourage sustainable transportation methods for the millions of workers that commute between the country’s residential and commercial districts.  For Chinese research intern Shuheng Zhu, the city of Winnipeg, Canada is providing a special glimpse into the complexities of public transportation planning on a much smaller scale.

Wendy Ortega Pineda is determined to do her part to make the world a more equitable place. As a law student at Universidad Autónoma de Baja California in Mexico, Wendy has learned much about the profound differences between nations regarding access to basic resources, issues of discrimination, and justice for human rights violations. This summer, she is further enhancing her worldly perspective by taking part in a 12-week research internship at the University of Saskatchewan.

Xinyue Wu has a love of video games. From playing and designing, to exploring user experience, video games offer her a sense of excitement and escapism. This summer, as a Globalink Research intern at Ryerson University, Xinyue is delving into that passion for user experience, but outside of the virtual world. She’s examining the multiple characteristics of amusement park rides including thrill, enjoyment, and rider behaviour.

Laise Barbosa gets a glimmer in her eye when she reflects on her research at Simon Fraser University this summer. As an education student and avid musician from Universidade de Brasilia in Brazil, Laise was excited to combine her two passions under one research project with Professor Susan O’Neill at Simon Fraser University’s Department of Education for her 12-week project in Canada.

It was her interest in cardiology that persuaded Rayane Simas to come to Canada through a Mitacs Globalink Research internship. As a medical student at Brazil’s Faculdade de Ciências Médicas de Minas Gerais, Rayane knew Globalink would provide her with an international hands-on research experience directly related to her field of study.

Mayela Sosa, a third-year psychology student at the University of Guadalajara, Mexico, studies neuroscience. She’s working on a grasping study in Dr. Claudia Gonzalez’s Brain in Action lab.

 

“I chose this project because of the professor and because it is more related to movement and neuroscience than other projects,” she says. “I’m learning a lot. Many of my friends tried to get an internship in Canada so I’m really grateful Mitacs has given me this opportunity.”