//podcastplus.net/feed/tales-and-trials-of-research~e6fcd2ac A podcast from the Undergraduate Research Initiative at the University of Saskatchewan, featuring student & faculty interviews, research stories, opportunities, and tips & tricks! Tue, 08 Sep 2026 13:16:01 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/41fd7f28/podcast/play/58319349/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fproduction%2Fexports%2F41fd7f28%2F58319349%2F4f28bc4a8f90a133c77e9f64d3218f46.m4a In this episode, we hear from USask neuroscience professor Dr. John Howland and two undergraduate student assistants, Aiden Glass and Leah Macfarlane, about the kinds of questions, enthusiasm, and curiosity that drives research. Want to learn more about the Howland lab? Check out their website: https://research-groups.usask.ca/johnhowlandlab/index.php. (With apologies from Merle: I was developing a desperate chest cold when we recorded and you can hear it...) Thu, 29 Sep 2022 15:46:00 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/41fd7f28/podcast/play/58319349/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fproduction%2Fexports%2F41fd7f28%2F58319349%2F4f28bc4a8f90a133c77e9f64d3218f46.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/41fd7f28/podcast/play/53819078/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fproduction%2Fexports%2F41fd7f28%2F53819078%2F5c6e7b42d53c84b00798c5f59dc4924f.m4a Join us to listen to Dr. Murray Drew of the College of Agriculture and Biosciences at the University of Saskatchewan talk about how he brought FYRE into his first year animal bioscience class -- and a few of the other things about teaching, students, and how students learn, along the way!  Tue, 21 Jun 2022 21:39:20 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/41fd7f28/podcast/play/53819078/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fproduction%2Fexports%2F41fd7f28%2F53819078%2F5c6e7b42d53c84b00798c5f59dc4924f.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/41fd7f28/podcast/play/45831372/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fproduction%2Fexports%2F41fd7f28%2F45831372%2Fa2be0d94c19f7f8f0c4a7cb13924f55e.m4a Dr. Emily McWalter from the College of Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan tells us about her postsecondary research experience, how she ended up as a professor working in biomedical engineering. Dr. McWalter is also an avid supporter of undergraduate students engaging in research and talks about why that matters for undergraduate students!  Tue, 29 Mar 2022 22:15:08 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/41fd7f28/podcast/play/45831372/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fproduction%2Fexports%2F41fd7f28%2F45831372%2Fa2be0d94c19f7f8f0c4a7cb13924f55e.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/41fd7f28/podcast/play/45830791/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fproduction%2Fexports%2F41fd7f28%2F45830791%2F56353a25aa4e77ea82fb22e96c37a3f1.m4a What is FUSION? Hear from USask Career Services lead Brock Egeto, and student intern Breanne Bevelander, to learn more about FUSION -- the Future Innovation Skills Network, and how it hit the ground running at USask.  The FUSION Skill-Development Curriculum is an interactive and engaging 10-hour online, self-study curriculum designed to wraparound and complement a student’s existing experiential learning opportunity (e.g. internship, student leadership role, research project, part-time job, volunteer placement, or summer work term). The FUSION Skill-Development Curriculum focuses on helping students enhance their skills across three critical 21st century skill domains: Metacognition – the ability of the mind to plan, monitor and assess its own learning and performance Communication – the ability to construct and convey a message through an appropriate medium Problem solving – the ability to connect various analytical strategies to come up with creative solutions to manage difficult... Tue, 29 Mar 2022 21:58:27 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/41fd7f28/podcast/play/45830791/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fproduction%2Fexports%2F41fd7f28%2F45830791%2F56353a25aa4e77ea82fb22e96c37a3f1.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/41fd7f28/podcast/play/43958518/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-12-01%2F8c9e20487e0fdbb557f45f95d1cc6903.m4a This amazing crew of student researchers from USask CURE course BMIS380 (Biomedical Science 380) sat down with Merle Massie to talk about their class research experience, their most important learnings, why the research experience is so valuable for students and where they see themselves in regards to research in the future. Learn it all in this most recent episode. This podcast pairs with the previous podcast on the CURE!  Fri, 26 Nov 2021 18:14:23 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/41fd7f28/podcast/play/43958518/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-12-01%2F8c9e20487e0fdbb557f45f95d1cc6903.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/41fd7f28/podcast/play/43457645/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-11-17%2F071512f525939ea0aaaf54fe8f681468.m4a Never heard of CURE before on campus? Merle sits down with three outstanding University of Saskatchewan professions to learn about the CURE program and how they bring research into the classroom. Find their amazing CURE blog series, "From Student to Researcher (in one term!) here: https://vpresearch.usask.ca/students/undergraduate/undergraduate-research-blog/undergraduate-research-blog.php.  Tue, 16 Nov 2021 22:48:49 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/41fd7f28/podcast/play/43457645/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-11-17%2F071512f525939ea0aaaf54fe8f681468.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/41fd7f28/podcast/play/41851719/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-10-15%2Fe13decc1aae48280c8a770a77d769e09.m4a Ever wanted to know what it is like to conduct research on living animals such as rats? Merle and Alexa sit down with undergraduate student researcher, Ashton Heidt, to discuss animal ethics, how to land an undergraduate research opportunity and the most rewarding part of the research conducted in the lab.  Ashton Heidt is currently in fourth year of a BSc (Honours) degree from the College of Arts and Science, majoring in physiology and pharmacology. His research project (with the guidance of Dr. John Howland) investigates how chemical inactivation of a particular brain region will alter performance in working memory tasks for rats. Fri, 15 Oct 2021 21:07:33 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/41fd7f28/podcast/play/41851719/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-10-15%2Fe13decc1aae48280c8a770a77d769e09.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/41fd7f28/podcast/play/33775481/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-06-28%2F3b289dfd34f556f290bb8b98fe29adb8.m4a Did you know that some FYRE (First Year Research Experience) courses can allow you to work with students and faculty from educational institutions around the globe? In a world that is more interconnected than ever, building a COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) experience into a course is just one of the many exciting opportunities USask offers to faculty and students. Join Department of English Professor, Dr. David Parkinson, and Educational Development Specialist, Aditi Garg, as they chat with Merle & Brooke about the experience the Winter 2021 ENG 113 students got to have with students based in Madrid, Spain, as they collaborated on a podcast project. Mon, 28 Jun 2021 21:51:14 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/41fd7f28/podcast/play/33775481/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-06-28%2F3b289dfd34f556f290bb8b98fe29adb8.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/41fd7f28/podcast/play/33853804/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-05-20%2F282d6a73f1fa2d73c1cd5cf0050e090b.m4a Did you know that USask undergraduates (even just in their first and second year!) have managed to find some AMAZING things through FYRE (First Year Research Experience) projects? Join Merle & Brooke as they chat with Dr. Daryl Janzen, a professor of astronomy and a champion of undergraduate research opportunities. Take a listen to find out what YOU might be to find in the cosmos - or anywhere else! - during your own FYRE experience.  Thu, 20 May 2021 15:45:29 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/41fd7f28/podcast/play/33853804/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-05-20%2F282d6a73f1fa2d73c1cd5cf0050e090b.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/41fd7f28/podcast/play/31588274/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-04-22%2Fdb5e73be0e155122014c861eab8f83db.m4a Vice-President Research, Dr. Baljit Singh, is a well-known champion of research in all disciplines. He conducts many of his own projects while holding the position of VP of Research for USask. He often brings undergraduate students onto his own research teams and finds a lot of excitement in undergraduate work. Join Merle & Brooke as they chat with Dr. Singh about how he became fascinated with the research world, how research work contributes to becoming a global citizen and his best pieces of advice for undergraduate researchers. Thu, 22 Apr 2021 18:05:18 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/41fd7f28/podcast/play/31588274/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-04-22%2Fdb5e73be0e155122014c861eab8f83db.m4a