FURCA Awards
The Festival of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (FURCA) celebrates the talents of U of A students, providing a place for the sharing of ideas between students, faculty, and the broader community.
Each year, awards are given in several categories. As all awards are sponsor or donor-funded, the value and number of awards may vary each year depending on funding availability and the pool of eligible presenters.
Congratulations to our FURCA 2025 Award recipients
Presenting student is bolded and with an asterisk.
Outstanding Communication
Oral
Ara Naidoo*, Siyu Du, Kelvin Jones [ Faculty of Science ] - Can Axons 'Remember' Stimuli? Exploring the Implications for Intraoperative Neuromonitoring
Annelise Litke [ Augustana ] - Putting Complainants on Trial: The 1918 Seduction of Laura Stradwick
Poster
Daxter Cornand*, Fiza Rajput, Jeongbeen (Jenny) Kim, Jeongwoo (Jesse) Kim, Kiersten Rajotte, Reaghan Rajotte, Illia Levin, Daniel E. Schiller, Gina R. Rayat. - [ Faculty of Science ] - Exosomes modulate the immune cell populations of gastric cancer patients.
Gopesh Gopinath*, Ako Azimi, and Shokrollah Elahi [ Faculty of Science ] - Investigating the trans-differentiation of CD71+ erythroid cells into B cells in the neonatal period
Eugene Hahn*, Brady Hammond, Jason Plemel [ Faculty of Science ] - Exploring the Effects of Various CNS Ligands on Microglial Proliferation
Manuela Lopez Aldana*, Beth Capper [ Faculty of Arts ] - Digital Fluidity: Anonymity and Self-Expression in Online Spaces
Maddie Dee*, Chinmayee Das, Asifa Zaidi, Ken Reyes, Giacomo Perri, Russ Watts, Richard Lehner, Simonetta Sipione [ Faculty of Science ] - Fat storage in brain health and disease: Interactions between lipid droplets and misfolded proteins in brain cells
Lorena Reyes Villalon*, Esther S. Kim, Shannan Love [ Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine ] - Social support and the well being of caregivers of people with aphasia
Outstanding Interdisciplinary Research
Jayman Cannataro* [ Faculty of Engineering ] - The Sustainability of Hydroelectric and Non-Renewable Energy Sources: A Comparison
Samantha Burke*, Nipuna Senanyake, Shira Joudan [ Faculty of Science ] - Direct Photochemical Fate of the Rubber Additive Diphenyl Guanidine (DPG)
Outstanding Early Career Research
Khadija Hasan*, Yuzhang Li, Dr. Zheng [ Faculty of Science ] - Improving Laparoscopic Surgeries by Overcoming Spatial Disorientation Using Mental Rotation
Outstanding Creative Activity
Rokaia Al-Hayani* [ Faculty of Science ] - Learning Through Storytelling: A New Accessible Way to Encourage Mathematical Thinking
Outstanding Sustainability
Luke Beattie*, Greg King, Glen Hvenegaard [ Augustana ] - Growing urban forests: The influence of perceptions, attitudes, and knowledge on urban forest dynamics
Jasmine Sekhon*, Sammy A.J. Lowe, Ishwar Tiwari, Shelby S. Yamamoto [ Faculty of Arts ] - Effects of climate change on the health and resilience of the LGBTQIA+ community
Tony Yuen* [ Faculty of Arts ] - Sustainability benefits of community gardens
Research Impact Awards
Jacqueline Armitstead* [ Faculty of Arts ] - Climate Communication through Data Physicalization
Roshan Hassan*, Amber Ali, Li Yu, Maria Mayan [ Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport & Recreation ] - “Just Being Able to Walk”: Understanding the Immediate Effects of Placemaking
Nadejda Skofenko* [ Faculty of Science ] - Disadvantaged or underrepresented? Exploring teaching and learning in Northern communities through individual experiences.
Yasaman Mashayekhi* [ Faculty of Science ] - Exploring Virtual Reality for Better Peer Connections in Healthcare
Outstanding International Student Researcher
Rebeca Avila Garcia* - [ Faculty of Arts ] - Climate Change Solution Denial: Strategic Messaging on the Political Feasibility of Ecosocialism Policy
Outstanding International Research
Mariana Castillo Arce* [ Augustana ] - Ignoring Voices: The Unspoken Consequences of Mining Canadian Companies in Mexico
Award Categories and Information
General Awards
Recognizes students who are best able to communicate the results and impact of their research to an interdisciplinary audience. Note, this award is given out in each category of presentation (e.g., best poster, best oral presentation, etc.).
Sponsored by the Students’ Union and College of Natural & Applied Sciences.
Recognizes outstanding interdisciplinary research. The interdisciplinary aspects of the project may include (but are not limited to):
- The student is doing research outside of their own discipline
- The research makes effective use of interdisciplinary methods
- The outcomes of the research are interdisciplinary in scope
Students must be able to clearly explain the interdisciplinary aspects of their project to the judges.
Sponsored by the College of Social Sciences & Humanities.
Special Categories
The Outstanding Creative Activity Award recognizes outstanding research-creation. Research-creation, as defined by SSHRC, is "an approach to research that combines creative and academic research practices, and supports the development of knowledge and innovation through artistic expression, scholarly investigation, and experimentation. The creation process is situated within the research activity and produces critically informed work in a variety of media (art forms). Research-creation cannot be limited to the interpretation or analysis of a creator’s work, conventional works of technological development, or work that focuses on the creation of curricula. Fields that may involve research-creation may include, but are not limited to: architecture, design, creative writing, visual arts (e.g., painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, textiles), performing arts (e.g., dance, music, theatre), film, video, performance art, interdisciplinary arts, media and electronic arts, and new artistic practices." (SSHRC definition)
Sponsored by the College of Social Sciences & Humanities.
Recognizes a 1st or 2nd-year student for outstanding research undertaken during their first year of study. Note: First-year students presenting work completed in high school are also eligible for this award.
Sponsored by the College of Social Sciences & Humanities.
Recognizes outstanding research performed outside of Canada (e.g. international fieldwork, research-abroad experiences, etc.).
Sponsored by University of Alberta International.
Recognizes outstanding research performed by an international student at the U of A.
Sponsored by University of Alberta International.
The Sustainability Council is proud to recognize the top undergraduate researchers who are building a better world. The winning projects demonstrate an integrated approach that considers human and environmental factors in the challenges we face and the solutions we need. A panel convened by the Sustainability Council selects the top projects within this field for the award.
Recognizes undergraduate research projects that involve the following:
- Community or participant based/guided/co-produced/engaged research
- A knowledge mobilization plan directed towards the non-academic community. This plan should clearly identify your intended knowledge users, a description of the ways in which you will share knowledge, and a description of how you will disseminate your knowledge products to your knowledge user(s) in an engaged way.
Sponsored by University of Alberta Libraries & Research Impact Canada.