INSPIRING MINDS | Carly Charron, PhD candidate, Faculty of Science

Inspiring Minds seeks to broaden awareness and impact of graduate student research, while enhancing transferable skills. Students were challenged to describe their research, scholarship or creative activity in 150 or fewer words to share with our community.

---

Carly Charron
PhD candidate, Faculty of Science

A green vaccine: Using plants to protect poultry from Salmonella

You’ve whipped up a delicious cake and the beater is dripping with batter. What do you do? Lick it? Think again. Poultry eggs and meat are a common source of Salmonella, a bacteria that can cause gut-churning consequences. Poultry pose a significant concern as they can harbour large amounts of Salmonella without showing any symptoms, making it difficult to identify contaminated birds. While numerous control measures can be used on poultry farms to prevent Salmonella contamination, they are often costly and/or difficult to implement. Therefore, my goal is to develop a ‘green’ vaccine: an edible Salmonella vaccine that is made in plants. This would provide a cheaper and easier method of protecting poultry, as the leaves of the plant could be ground into a powder and added to poultry feed. If effective, this could reduce the prevalence of Salmonella in poultry flocks and subsequently lower the rate of human infection.

---

LEARN MORE

APPLY NOW: Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation of Canada Scholarship for Canadian Women

The Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation of Canada Scholarship for Canadian Women will be awarding a minimum of two scholarships in the amount of $10,000 each this year.

 

We are utilizing a portal for applications this year and applications may be made here:

 

APPLY NOW

 

Please be advised that applications will only be accepted through the portal and will not accept any documents via e-mail or physical mail.

 

The application deadline is April 15, 2025.

 

REGISTER NOW: EnviroCon 2025

Western’s Centre for Environment and Sustainability invites you to attend EnviroCon 2025, a free, student-led conference that brings together researchers, community members, and organizations to explore environmental and sustainability topics. This year’s theme, Sharing Environmental Knowledge, focuses on making sustainability knowledge accessible for all.

 

This is a great opportunity to engage with environmental research, network with like-minded individuals, and take part in important discussions about sustainability. Registration closes on Friday, March 7.

➡ Register now: https://www.uwo.ca/enviro/envirocon/index.html

 

📅 Date: Friday, March 21, 2025 (all day)
📍 Location: Physics & Astronomy Building, Western University
💲 Cost: Free (includes complimentary lunch!)

 

What’s Happening at EnviroCon 2025?
🌎 Research Presentations – Learn about the latest research in environment and sustainability.
💬 Panel Discussion – Hear from academia, City of London, Indigenous community, local school board, and youth on how environmental knowledge is shared and put into action.
🌿 Guided Hike – Explore campus biodiversity with an expert-led nature walk.
🤝 Community Booths – Connect with local organizations working on sustainability initiatives.

🔧 Repair Cafe (March 19) – Bring your broken household items and volunteer “fixers” repair them for free.

 

Questions? Contact us at [email protected]
Follow us on Instagram: @enviroconwestern

 

Hope to see you there!

 

INSPIRING MINDS | Sidney Wright, MSc candidate, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry

Inspiring Minds seeks to broaden awareness and impact of graduate student research, while enhancing transferable skills. Students were challenged to describe their research, scholarship or creative activity in 150 or fewer words to share with our community.

---

Sidney Wright
MSc candidate, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry

Digital Technologies for the Enhancement of Anatomy Education

Anatomy can be challenging for university students to learn and understand but is vital for the education of future healthcare professionals. Existing tools, such as cadaveric or plastic models, have various limitations, creating a gap in the availability of adequate anatomy models to meet the needs of all student populations. The need for advanced teaching tools led to the investigation of Augmented Reality (AR). AR is an emerging technology that superimposes a virtual image onto a user’s view of the real world and can be used to explore human anatomy through interactive models. Our study aims to investigate whether integrating AR and digital three-dimensional models into anatomy education will enhance the overall learning experience through increased student engagement and motivation. By exploring digital models, we can address the lack of anatomical teaching tools to meet the needs of all student populations and improve learning outcomes across various educational settings.

---

LEARN MORE

Essential Elements of Project Management

Essential Elements of Project Management (2-part series)

 

March 19 & 20, 2025, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Online/Virtual

 

This two-part introductory seminar to project management for doctoral students will present an overview of essential elements to creating and executing a successful project plan. Through interactive discussion, students will learn why self-awareness, stakeholder engagement and effective communication are critical to project success. The session will draw on parallels to research management to identify where industry-standard Project Management strategies and tools can be applied in an academic setting and how academic experience can be transferrable and valuable to private, public and non-profit contexts.

 

Please follow this link to Western Connect where you will be directed to register for each part on Zoom.

 

Copy That! Grappling with Copyright at Western and Beyond

Copy That! Grappling with Copyright at Western and Beyond

 

March 3, 2025, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. ET

IGAB 1N05

 

Did you know that the simple act of creation is enough to be the holder of the copyright to a work? That is, unless you sign these rights away. This session will provide an overview of copyright basics and provide a summary of your rights as a creator, and advice on how to protect these rights. It will also cover publishing, teaching, and document creation with practical examples of what to look for in a variety of employment contexts including universities, colleges, and the private sector.

 

REGISTER NOW

 

Leading with Strengths: A Conversation with Erika Casupanan

Leading with Strengths: A Conversation with Erika Casupanan

Join us on March 10 for an engaging event featuring a conversation with Western alum and the first Canadian to win 'Survivor,' Erika Casupanan. Erika will share her powerful story of how she leveraged her strengths to achieve success and make a difference.

Event Details
Date: Monday, March 10
Time: 2 – 3:30 p.m. (doors open at 1:30)
Location: BMO Auditorium, Ivey Business School

Why Attend?
This event offers a unique opportunity to:

▪ Learn from a role model: Hear Erika's inspiring journey and gain valuable insights into the power of strengths-based development. 

 

▪ Discover your potential: Explore the importance of understanding and utilizing your CliftonStrengths. 

 

▪ Develop practical skills: Learn actionable strategies for applying your strengths in leadership, resilience, career growth, and communication. 

 

▪ Network and connect: Connect with fellow students, alumni, and faculty who are passionate about strengths-based development. 

 

This event is brought to you by Student Experience, Ivey Career Management and Western Alumni.

Register on Western Connect

 

Procrastination Awareness Week: March 3-7

Join us for Procrastination Awareness Week activities March 3-7

As we enter the end of semester crunch, over 30 academic institutions from across Canada are partnering to offer comprehensive procrastination awareness support for students. March 3-7, students are invited to attend remote workshops to learn strategies related to focus and concentration, motivation, time management, writing, studying, and exam preparation. Western’s own Learning Development & Success team will be hosting workshops throughout the week!

The Procrastination Awareness Week (PAW) programming will also feature a virtual study hall for students who are looking to work alongside others and make progress on their end-of-term to do lists. Join us and try “body doubling” to motivate yourself and hold yourself accountable. Programming runs 12 – 5 p.m. EST each day.

REGISTER NOW

 

International Career Workshop Series: March 3-7

International Career Workshop Series: March 3-7

Check out the upcoming career workshop series tailored for international students hosted by Career Education in partnership with Western International. This series is a great opportunity to bring any questions you have about your career journey in Canada and beyond, meet fellow students, and talk to a career coach. After completing all workshops, you will receive a certificate of completion, and your participation will be on your Co-Curricular Record. Topics include:

• Personal Branding: Building & Marketing 'You' Inc.

• Resumes & Cover Letters: Creating Compelling Correspondence

• Networking: It's Easier Than You Think!

• LinkedIn: Setting up, Utilizing and Optimizing your Profile

• Interviewing with Excellence

 

LEARN MORE

 

REGISTER NOW: ISCOMS 2025

Are you a (bio)medical student and interested in learning about the latest (bio)medical research?

The International Student Congress Of (bio)Medical Sciences (ISCOMS) is the world’s leading student congress in the field of (bio)medical sciences. The 32nd edition of ISCOMS will take place from the 2nd until the 5th of June 2025.

ISCOMS kicks off with an engaging pre-course day focused on developing your research skills. The following three congress days feature an inspiring programme, including student research presentations, hands-on workshops, and masterclasses centered on cutting-edge topics such as personalised medicine, next-gen technologies, and global health equity. In addition, we’re thrilled to welcome five renowned scientists to deliver inspiring keynote lectures.

The keynote lectures from world renowned speakers will include Prof. Svetlana Mojsov, PhD, Prof. David Huang, MD, PhD, Prof. Peter Hegemann, PhD, Prof. Hans Clevers, MD, PhD and Prof. Awa Marie Coll-Seck, MD, PhD

On top of all this, we will host an exciting social programme to give participants a chance to broaden their networks and get to know each other!

If you’re excited to learn from award-winning scientists, participate in hands-on workshops, and grow your international network, head to our website: www.iscoms.com. Registration opens on the 17th of February 2025, so don’t miss your chance!