Social Science

Inspiring Minds: Helping Western graduate students tell stories, hone skills

May 20, 2021

Western graduate students are being asked to share and show their work ─ in 150 words or fewer. The invitation is the premise behind Inspiring Minds, a project with two aims: to showcase the research of Western’s graduate students across campus, and to give those students the opportunity to hone transferrable skills in communicating their work. The idea came as Douglas Keddy, associate director, research promotion and profile at Western Research, and Mark Wolfe, communication manager for the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies sought novel ways to shine a light on a community that is (often quietly) advancing research at Western.

Douglas Keddy

“We were looking for a fun, approachable way to share our graduate students’ amazing work,” Keddy said. “Seeing people pursue their passions, whether it is in music, law, science or dentistry is one of the best parts of being on a university campus. These groups need to be celebrated.” One of the unique aspects of the program is its written, non-competitive format, which allows applicants from a wide breadth of disciplines to be eligible ─ and recognized. The project also helps graduate students refine how they present complex concepts to audiences within academia or beyond.

Mark Wolfe

“The ability to communicate complicated academic work succinctly is more important than ever,” Wolfe said. “We’re bombarded with information thousands of times a day, so you have to be able to get to the point quickly and creatively in order to be heard. Challenging students to distill their passion down into 150 words, so anyone can understand, is one of the best parts of this project.” Submissions due by June 11 The call for submissions is open until June 11. In addition to a written description, applicants may also include supporting visuals, audio or video where applicable. Every submission will be reviewed and may be published on the Scholarship@Western page. Twenty-six entries will be randomly selected to have their work supported by Western, receiving:

One-on-one coaching from the Writing Support Centre
A customized graphic designed to enhance their submission
A professional headshot
Profile on Western’s social media channels.

Above all, each entrant will gain invaluable experience that will serve them well at Western and in the future, Keddy said. “If you can learn to convey complex concepts to lay audiences, it can make all the difference whether you are applying for jobs or grants, pitching proposals or building relationships,” he said. Inspiring Minds is a campus-wide partnership between Western Research, the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, the Writing Support Centre, Western Communications, Western Libraries, Student Experience, and Western’s 11 faculties. Students seeking more information should contact Mark Wolfe in the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

Six named as Vanier honorees

Aug 3, 2011

Western students Ahmed Hamada, Katie Kryski, Donald Lafreniere, Matthew Quinn, Fabrice Szabo and Jodie Whelan have been named recipients of the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships, the country’s most prestigious scholarships for doctoral students.

Students join Junior Team Canada

Aug 2, 2011

Leenat Jilani, a political science student at Brescia University College, and Connor Lyons, a second-year political science student at Western, are two of 21 youth nationwide selected to be a Canadian Ambassador on Global Vision’s Junior Team Canada.

Centre for Brain and Mind opens, announces U.K. partnerships

Jul 25, 2011

Recognized as a world leader in cognitive neuroscience research, the Centre for Brain and Mind at The University of Western Ontario will begin training postdoctoral fellows from three of the top institutions in the United Kingdom next year.

Humour lends insight into vegetative state

Jul 6, 2011

How the human brain processes jokes may help researchers determine if a person in a vegetative state can experience positive emotions – a breakthrough that could help friends, relatives and doctors better understand a patient’s mental state of mind.

Youth addressing First Nation health concerns

Jul 6, 2011

Research with Canada’s First Nations has identified important links between the health of the environment and the health of local communities.

Wintrobe receives CIGI-INET research grant

Jul 4, 2011

University of Western Ontario economics professor Ronald Wintrobe is one of four Canadian recipients of a research grant from the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) and the Institute for New Economic Thinking (INET).

Brain research predicts premeditated actions

Jun 29, 2011

Bringing the real world into the brain scanner, researchers at The University of Western Ontario from The Centre for Brain and Mind can now determine the action a person was planning, mere moments before that action is actually executed.

University dropout rates tied to preparedness, not laziness

Jun 23, 2011

Approximately 40 per cent of students who drop out of university do so because of what they learn about their own academic ability, based primarily on the grades they receive after arriving on campus, according to new research from The University of Western Ontario.

Stymiest: In-person human interaction important

Jun 16, 2011

The energy from those sitting in Alumni Hall was palpable, says Barbara Stymiest, looking around the room at what she described as future politicians, chief economists, social entrepreneurs, academic wunderkinds and leaders of all kinds.

Mediation offers good life lessons: Winkler

Jun 15, 2011

The ability to be a mediator is a skill that will not only help in law, but can also be used to enrich global culture and the value of a university education, says Ontario Chief Justice Warren Winkler.

Life among the talking heads

Jun 9, 2011

Tim Conley admits he does not have ‘The Number.’ He has ‘A Number’, even ‘A Really Good Number’ if you account for the limited information he worked with at the time. He realizes, however, after a few more months of research, he will have ‘A Different Number’ to present to the world. But he wonders if anyone will care by that time.

Faculties nab international recognition

Jun 7, 2011

The departments of Philosophy, History, Geography and English are among the best in the world according to QS World University Rankings for Arts and Humanities.