Concordia PhD student fast tracks into the Biochemistry program through a Mitacs Globalink fellowship
Concordia PhD student Laura Domínguez recalls first hearing about Mitacs through her friends and her hometown university’s bioengineering department in Toluca, Mexico.
The national, not-for-profit organization works with universities, companies and government organizations to build partnerships that support industrial and social innovation in Canada.
Through funding from the Mitacs Globalink program, Domínguez travelled to Canada to complete a three-month research internship with Brandon Findlay, associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.
“The internship was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Domínguez says. “It gave me the chance to explore a different career path and to decide the type of research I wanted to conduct. It helped me develop new skills, all while getting to know amazing people and learning about a new culture.”
The Mitacs Globalink Research Internship is a competitive initiative offered through Mitacs to international senior undergraduates from Mitacs partner countries. Each year, top-ranked applicants participate in a collaborative research internship under the supervision of Canadian university faculty members across various academic disciplines.
“Mitacs plays an important role in developing the next generation of innovators and connecting Canada to the global scientific and innovation community,” says Julio Sevilla, international project manager at Concordia International.
‘Some of the best and brightest research talent from around the world’
Domínguez previously studied bioprocess engineering at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education in Mexico. She completed her internship and advanced into a PhD in biochemistry at Concordia last fall. She continues to work with Findlay, studying the evolution of antibiotic resistance.
“The Mitacs internship was very helpful because I was able to travel to Canada with all my expenses paid, which allowed me to focus on the research,” Domínguez notes.
“Now that I started the PhD, Mitacs funding is helping me advance my work as they offer a fellowship for former interns returning to Canada to pursue their graduate studies.”
The Globalink Graduate Fellowship offers all Globalink Research Internship alumni the chance to come back to Canada for their graduate studies through direct financial support.
“Mitacs allows Concordia to attract some of the best and brightest young research talent from around the world and offers students the chance to develop talent and ideas between academia and industry in Canada and abroad,” Sevilla adds.
“Student interns benefit from hands-on experience and being exposed to different corporate cultural perspectives that inspire their creativity and drive their innovation. This allows them to build professional networks and partnerships along the way.”
Find out more about internship and other research funding opportunities from Mitacs and entrance awards for students who pursue graduate studies at Concordia.
