From rope-climbing robots to the mechanics of movement: Globalink interns showcase research across Canada

Vancouver, BC — Mitacs is pleased to announce the winners of this year’s Globalink photo contest. The annual contest received over 300 entries and highlighted the experiences of Globalink research interns at universities across the country.

A winner was selected from each of three categories: My Research; My Research Collaboration; and My Canada.

My Research: Interns shared their Globalink research projects

• Gemma Malagón from Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico, participated in a research project that sought to better understand the underlying mechanics of nerves and muscle movement, in support of research that develops new prosthetic limbs and bionic devices. Professor Usha Kuruganti supervised Gemma’s research in the Human Performance Lab at the University of New Brunswick.

  “My time at the University of New Brunswick was the best and the most enriching part of my studies so far. I was able to work on real-world problems with an inspiring team in real-life conditions. It was an unforgettable experience, and I’m so grateful to have had it.”— Gemma Malagón

My Research Collaboration: Interns captured the spirit of collaboration and cross-cultural research at their universities

• Karanvir Singh Bains, from Punjab Engineering College India, spent his summer developing a rope-climbing robot for use in oil and gas recovery. Associate Professor Mehran Mehrandezh supervised Karanvir in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Regina.

  “My favourite part of this internship is the amount of exposure to new experiences and learning that I got. It’s not just about the research and professional learning but also the people we meet during the period of the internship that makes it really amazing.” — Karanvir Singh Bains

My Canada: Interns captured their favourite moments from discovering Canada outside the lab

• Chenhao Li, from Tongji University in China contributed to a research project at McGill University to develop 3-D-printed materials to capture waste heat from vehicles and machinery. Abdolhamid Akbarzadeh Shafaroudi in the department of mechanical engineering, supervised Chenhao’s research.

  “The best part of my internship was experiencing the high level of teamwork in our lab, while being given an appropriate extension of freedom to try my own theories and ideas. I learned so much this summer!” — Chenhao Li

In 2018, over 700 Globalink research interns spent 12 weeks at Canadian universities contributing to complex research problems in a wide range of sectors, from healthcare and robotics to aviation, communication, and the environment. Students hailed from Australia, Brazil, China, France, India, Germany, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and Ukraine.

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Quick facts:

• Mitacs is a not-for-profit organization that fosters growth and innovation in Canada for business and academia.
• Working with 60 universities, thousands of companies, and both federal and provincial governments, Mitacs builds partnerships that support industrial and social innovation in Canada
• Funded by the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the Government of British Columbia, the Government of Manitoba, and the Government of Quebec and Canadian universities, the Mitacs Globalink program offers two-way mobility opportunities between Canada and Mitacs partner countries for both undergraduate and graduate students.
• Mitacs is also pleased to work with the following international partners to support Globalink: Universities Australia; Brazil’s Universidade de Sao Paulo; the China Scholarship Council; Campus France; the German Academic Exchange Service; Mexico’s Secretariat of Public Education and Tecnológico de Monterrey; Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Education; Tunisia’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and Mission Universitaire de Tunisie en Amerique du Nord; and the Ukrainian-Canadian Foundation of Taras Shevchenko.

Links:

• For information about Mitacs’ research and training programs, see mitacs.ca/newsroom.
• View a gallery of this year’s contest entries at flickr.com/mitacscanada.