Conducting research is an integral part of a graduate degree.
Support your fellow graduate students by participating in a research study. Research studies may be online or in-person, are often a single session, and provide immeasurable value to the graduate students conducting the research.
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Studies in the Faculty of Engineering
Story-based networking support: Delivering LLM-driven storytelling prompts to immigrants and newcomers for career communication contexts
This study has been reviewed and received ethics clearance through the University of Waterloo Research Ethics Committee, ORE #48068.
This project explores how artificial intelligence (AI) can support immigrants and newcomers in learning to tell their professional stories with confidence. Many newcomers arrive in Canada with strong skills and experiences, but informal networking, such as coffee chats, introductions, or elevator pitches, can feel unfamiliar or intimidating. This study tests whether guided storytelling sessions with an AI companion can help.
- Format: In-person
- Method: Participants take part in a workshop-style session where an AI system acts as a supportive conversation partner. It helps them reflect on their experiences, identify strengths, and shape personal stories for professional situations.
- Length: 1 hour
- Participant requirements:
- University of Waterloo international student
- Living in Canada for less than 2 years
- Remuneration: Up to $24
Priyank Avijeet
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Supervised by Kerstin Dautenhahn
Evaluating the implementation and perception of furhat robot in developing interpersonal skills
This study has been reviewed and received ethics clearance through the University of Waterloo Research Ethics Committee, ORE #47794.
This study aims to better understand how to develop social robots that can help improve students' communication skills.
- Format: In-person
- Method: Participants will talk to a humanoid robot in two scenarios, each featuring a different personality.
- Length: Approximately 45 minutes
- Participant requirements:
- University of Waterloo student
- Remuneration: $20 Williams Cafe gift card
- Attachments: Recruitment poster
Golgisoo Jafari
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Supervised by Kerstin Dautenhahn
Studies in the Faculty of Health
What mid-career means to nurses and what makes them stay?
This study has been reviewed and received ethics clearance through the University of Waterloo Research Ethics Committee, ORE #46503.
This study explores what supports experienced nurses in remaining in the profession, drawing directly on nurses’ lived experiences. The goal is to inform more practical, nurse-informed retention approaches that better reflect real workplace and life contexts.
- Format: Online
- Method: One semi-structured interview, conducted virtually.
- Length: One interview lasting about 1 hour.
- Participant requirements:
- Experienced nurses in the mid-stage of their nursing career
- Currently working in nursing or previously worked in nursing
- Practicing or formerly practicing in Canada
- Attachments: Study advertisement
Victoria Babysheva
School of Public Health Sciences
Supervised by Phil Bigelow
Studies in the Faculty of Science
Role of lysosomal membrane stability and protease activity in the pathogenesis of Sjögren's syndrome dry eye
This study has been reviewed and received ethics clearance through the University of Waterloo Research Ethics Committee, ORE #47633.
Sjögren’s disease (SjD) is a rare autoimmune disease that cause patients to suffer from severe dry eyes. The dry eye is often dismissed or confused with typical dry eye disease. Currently, there are no tools or methods for doctors to tell these two types of dry eye apart quickly and accurately. This results in a prolonged diagnosis time or misdiagnosis of SjD patients that delays their treatment.
The goal of this study is to differentiate the inflammation between SjD-related dry eye and typical dry eye, with individuals without dry eyes as our reference. Cathepsin S, cystatin C, lysosome associated membrane proteins 1 (LAMP1) and LAMP3 the ocular surface cells will be used for this investigation. This study will be beneficial in deepening the understanding of SjD and for a shorter time-to diagnose for SjD through a comprehensive comparison between SjD-related dry eye, typical dry eye and individuals without dry eye (no inflammation).
- Format: In-person
- Method: Ocular surface evaluation and collection of cells on the surface of your eyes. A numbing eye drop will be used for the collection.
- Length: Approximately 1 hour
- Participant requirements: over the age of 18 that experience severe dry eye, OR has a known diagnosis of Sjögren’s disease, OR individuals without dry eye
- Remuneration: $30.00 CAD
- Attachments: Informed Consent Form
Ivy Vong
School of Optometry and Vision Science
Supervised by William Ngo