University of Lethbridge - Faculty of Arts & Science

Celebrating student summer research!🔬📚️

The 2026 Summer Research Showcase brought together undergraduate researchers from across ULethbridge and high school students from the High School Youth Researcher Summer (HYRS) Program to share the research they conducted throughout the summer.

Students had the opportunity to present their work and connect with the campus community to celebrate a summer of discovery and experiential learning at ULethbridge.

Thank you to everyone who participated in and supported this year’s showcase!

ULethbridge was so happy to have hosted Canada students on campus this summer! ☀️👏

Through the STEAM and entrepreneurship program partnership, 55 high school students from across Canada spent July gaining hands-on experience by exploring real-world challenges while engaging in innovation, entrepreneurship and research📚🔬.

Students explored ULethbridge's labs, attended lectures and learned from researchers, faculty and experts.

It was exciting to have the campus filled with pre-post-secondary youth who represent the future of innovation, entrepreneurship and research🌍.

For more than 15 years, the Raising Spirit Project has brought together Blackfoot families, Elders, students and researchers at the University of Lethbridge to explore knowledge sharing, culture and community-based learning.📚️

Now entering its third phase, Raising Spirit is being guided by a new generation of scholars who were themselves involved in Raising Spirit as students. Faculty members involved in the project include Dr. Chloe Crosschild (BN '14, MN '19), assistant professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences (Nursing); Ryan Crosschild, assistant professor of Women and Gender Studies and Sociology in association with the new Feminist Research Institute; and Dr. Amy Mack (BA '13, MA '16), assistant professor in the Department of New Media and Canada Research Chair (Tier 2).

As the initiative continues to grow, Raising Spirit stands as a powerful example of how relationships between Indigenous communities and universities can foster knowledge sharing, support cultural continuity and create opportunities for future generations of scholars and community leaders.👏

Read more about the Raising Spirit project: https://buff.ly/eC7jfjx

Faculty and alumni from the University of Lethbridge Department of Physics & Astronomy recently attended the Optica ImageSense Congress, where presentations highlighted space missions with strong connections to the University. 🚀🔬

Representing the department were Dr. David Naylor, Professor Emeritus and Conference Co-Chair, and Dr. Locke Spencer (MSc '05, PhD '09), Associate Professor and Department Chair.

Also attending were two recent alumni:

Chris Benson (BSc '18, MSc '20, PhD '24), supervised by Dr. Spencer, now a postdoctoral researcher at Cardiff University (UK), where he is developing detector technology for future space missions.

Mathew Buchan (MSc '24), supervised by Dr. Naylor, now working at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center on the PRIMA mission.

Congratulations to the ULethbridge researchers and alumni for contributing to the next generation of space science and instrumentation.👏

Learn more about the Optica ImageSense Congress: https://buff.ly/t0Daoqa

Congratulations to our students from the Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, for for receiving awards during the 20th RiboWest Meeting held in Kelowna.👏

Best Undergraduate Student Talk: Ella Watson (supervised by Dr. Jessica Willi)

People’s Choice-Best Talk: Kelly Liland (supervised by Dr. Trushar Patel)

Runner-Up Graduate Student Poster: Anuradha Rai Chowdhury (supervised by Dr. Dylan Girodat)

Congratulations Michael D’Souza (MSc '22), for receiving the PhD Research Excellence Award by the Canadian Society for Virology.👏

His PhD thesis, supervised by Dr. Trushar Patel in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, focuses on the RNA polymerase of Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus for targeted drug recovery🔬 🧪

Congratulations Dr. Elizabeth Schultz on receiving the prestigious Magister Teaching Award!

Dr. Elizabeth Schultz, who retired after 30 years of service with the Department of Biological Sciences, was recently honoured by the Canadian Botanical Association with the Magister Teaching Award.

This award recognizes plant biologists who have demonstrated a consistently high level of teaching excellence and teaching-related activities over at least 10 years as a faculty member at a Canadian post-secondary institution.

Read more about the Magister Teaching Award: https://buff.ly/0TDS0MH

Congratulations to Mark Lea (BSc ’23, MSc ’25) on receiving the School of Graduate Studies Master of Science Medal of Merit!👏 🏅

During his graduate studies, Lea conducted computational biochemistry research and contributed to a growing field with implications for human health and disease. Alongside this work, he completed an internship focused on community work with the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Alberta.

Lea's profound ability to frame every setback as a learning opportunity is an extraordinary mindset. His experience at ULethbridge stands as a testament to what can be achieved through hard work, perseverance and genuine curiosity.

Read more about Lea's incredible journey at ULethbridge: https://buff.ly/hgFZglC