2017 FEGRS organizers (left to right): Andres Castillo, Runzhi Xu, Anyeld Ubeda, Maliheh Soleimani, and Ryan Chee.
(EDMONTON) Entering its eighth year, the annual Faculty of Engineering Graduate Research Symposium (FEGRS), an initiative to develop skills for careers in engineering, is shaping up to be another successful event for academia- and industry-oriented students.
"The symposium is a great opportunity for students to present their research, develop communication skills, prepare themselves for future careers, and get recognized through awards," said Ryan Chee, a fourth-year PhD student in electrical and computer engineering and the symposium president. The event is run by graduate students across the Faculty of Engineering.
This year, the goals of FEGRS exceed the advancement of student professional and academic success and address social issues, such as the promotion of engineering sustainability and advancement of women in STEM fields.
"We wanted to organize more than just a research symposium. It's the first time we partnered with WISER (Women in Science, Engineering, and Research), and applied for a sustainability certification," added Chee.
Unlike previous graduate conferences, this year the organizing committee will recognize student sustainability-themed projects and ignite discussions about sustainable engineering practices.
"Sustainability is becoming increasingly important for energy companies and the industry in general," said Anyeld Ubeda, first-year master's student in biomedical engineering and one of the event organizers.
Ranging from time management to entrepreneurship, and work search strategies to networking, all FEGRS workshops count toward professional development hours for engineering students. A bonus? The events are free.
The symposium is running June 27-28, and the organizing committee is encouraging undergraduate and graduate students to submit abstracts for poster and/or oral presentations, as well as register for the research elevator pitch competition.
Both days of the symposium promise to bring a lot of value to students interested in sharing research ideas, upping their job search game, flexing public speaking muscles, and rubbing shoulders with industry representatives.
Submit an abstract for a poster or oral presentation.
Register for the research elevator pitch.