The Festival of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (FURCA) is the University of Alberta's annual, campus-wide celebration of undergraduate research, showcasing the research and creative achievements of undergraduate students across all disciplines.
FURCA's student participants benefit from the feedback given to them by volunteer judges in this unique undergraduate research experience. It takes all types to judge a competition such as this, and having a wide variety of judge backgrounds available can improve the student experience. To showcase this, we have three volunteer spotlights, each with their own unique skillsets that help make FURCA an amazing experience for our undergraduate students.
Steven Knudsen (‘84 BSc Computer Engineering, ’87 MSc Applied Sciences in Medicine) has a history and passion for supporting and mentoring students. After some time away from campus, he was initially drawn to the idea of judging FURCA in 2016 as a chance to reconnect with the U of A and to find out what was driving and exciting students in their research.
During the festival, undergraduate students will create a poster presentation on their research projects and present their work one-on-one to volunteer judges. Steven really enjoys the personal experience of interacting with these poster presentations, as he feels you really get the chance to know the presenters and their topics well. He has met some amazing students this way and has really enjoyed seeing their future successes unfold. “You can really see people grow and do some amazing things in their future; all they needed was some encouragement to help them realize their potential,” Steven says. He has met some talented students who have gone on to win awards for their work or moved forward into other major academic projects. Every year, he continues to be impressed with the diversity and breadth of the students who are participating in the festival.
FURCA judges are from all backgrounds and have the chance to select which disciplines they want to interact with. Steven tends to work with students presenting on topics from his own home in engineering and the sciences, but occasionally works with other fields of study to expand his own experience and understanding. It is overall a great opportunity for connection and personal interaction with students.
Steven’s advice to future volunteers? “Follow your passion: if you have a good gut feeling like you might enjoy it – you probably will and more than you can imagine! I know I have!” He also emphasized trying what’s comfortable - there are volunteering opportunities for every type of person out there.
Paul Childs (’05 M Public Health) is a long time volunteer with the University of Alberta Alumni Association and the School of Public Health. After a term on Alumni Council, Paul began taking part in student-focused volunteering opportunities such as Week of Welcome, career-oriented events for the School of Public Health and of course, FURCA.
Paul was drawn to FURCA in 2019 as he thought it was an excellent opportunity for undergrads to get a real taste for what a crucial stage in the research can be like. With experience in adjudicating and judging competitions, he felt his skillset would be of benefit to the student participants, as well as a chance to hone those skills himself.
Paul understands firsthand how much work goes into these projects and takes his student interactions seriously. He endeavors to provide valuable constructive criticism and feedback so that the students can continue to grow their passions, while preparing for a real world experience. An essential part of research is how to adapt the knowledge that they have learned and internalized through their programs. He also expressed how important it is for students to learn how to listen to their gut and to trust that instinct that if something feels off when working on a research project, it’s worth paying attention to that instinct.
One of his favorite pieces of FURCA is learning about why students picked the research projects they did. “Being objective in research doesn’t mean that you are unaffected by it” Paul says, and having a personal resonance with a topic can add to the value and impact of a project.
Paul believes strongly in the power of alumni giving back to students through time and mentorship. “We want them [students] to know that their connection to the University doesn’t end after they graduate – there is a whole world out there beyond what they are studying”. When it comes to volunteering he says “Don’t hesitate – go for it”. There is much to be gained by making connections within the community through volunteering.
Sylvia Laarhuis (‘72 BEd, ‘79 Ed Diploma, ‘88 MEd) has volunteered with FURCA “at least five times”, she says laughing. While she is not able to commit every year, she enjoys being able to attend whenever she is able. Sylvia is also an active volunteer in the Edmonton community, working with organizations such as the Federation of Canadian University Women - Strathcona Chapter and the Community Learning and Adult Literacy Society.
Sylvia originally decided to start volunteering with FURCA as a way to use the speech evaluation skills she developed in her Education degree, as well as when she was a part of the Toastmasters Club. She thought this would be a good way to both practice her skillset, and share her expertise with those who have not been able to receive the same training.
While she started for the mentorship aspect of FURCA, one of Sylvia’s favorite parts of volunteering is learning all about the different research topics that students are working on. She judges a wide variety of disciplines and has been able to learn about so many different topics; one of the most memorable being a research project that focused on the use of drones to count livestock. Growing up on a farm herself, she was excited to see how technology has evolved to continue to better the community.
Sylvia is amazed and awestruck by the intelligence and abilities of undergraduate students at the U of A. “They are so smart and talented in their research,” she says, and participating as a judge helps her to learn more about the world. Seeing their fantastic work makes Sylvia feel confident that “the world is in good hands in the future”.
The Undergraduate Research Initiative (URI) is recruiting volunteer judges to evaluate FURCA presentations and provide constructive feedback to presenters. URI encourages faculty, graduate students, post-doctoral scholars, staff, and alumni from any discipline to participate as a FURCA judge. Judging shifts are 1.5-2 hours in length (in-person), and volunteers can self-select their shifts.
Shifts are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, and judges are encouraged to sign up by February 1, 2023.
