This summer, Thompson Rivers University welcomed its largest-ever group of Mitacs students, a milestone that signals growing international research activity and global connections. Thirty visiting research students from around the globe arrived in Kamloops to take part in projects in a variety of disciplines, many focused on emerging technologies and applied innovation.
A national non-profit organization, Mitacs supports research partnerships between post-secondary institutions, industry and government. At TRU, the program is helping expand research capacity while creating opportunities for global collaboration as the university advances its Strategic Internationalization Plan.
“This record cohort reflects TRU’s growth as a dual-sector research university, where use-inspired research brings people and ideas together across disciplines and borders. These international collaborations strengthen our research community, create meaningful opportunities for students and researchers, and bring global perspectives to work addressing real-world challenges,” said TRU’s Vice-President Research Shannon Wagner.
Mitacs students typically spend about 12 weeks on campus, working closely with faculty on applied research from engineering and math to social sciences. This summer’s projects included work in artificial intelligence, such as a vision and AI-based personalized memory recall assistant for dementia patients, and an AI-enabled innovative Braille learning system for people who are visually impaired.
Associate professor of engineering Dr. Geoff Fink, whose work includes developing the next generation of autonomous robotics systems, supervised both undergraduate and graduate students in the Perception and Robotics Research (PeRRo) Lab at TRU.
“Having dedicated engineering students focused entirely on implementation and AI has been a massive boost to our productivity, and we’ve made serious strides in the lab this summer,” said Fink.
Faculty participation at TRU has grown steadily, with many returning to the program year after year. Hosting Mitacs students provides additional research support and introduces new perspectives that strengthen project outcomes and collaboration.
After attending TRU in fall 2025 as an Emerging Leaders in the Americas scholarship recipient, Felipe Lenschow returned to campus this summer as a visiting research student.
“Choosing to conduct my research in Canada through Mitacs changed my entire perspective as an engineer,” said Lenschow.
“I was not only provided with the lab space and mentorship to advance my work in robotics, but also welcomed into a diverse, internationally focused community. The collaborative environment at TRU pushed my research on quadruped control systems further than I ever expected.”
The majority of this summer’s cohort joined through the Globalink Research Internship, with additional placements supported through the Globalink Research Award, a program that enables faculty and students to collaborate on international research projects. Mitacs students at TRU are supported through onboarding and campus services, and connect with peers through both formal and informal networks during their time in Kamloops.
While inbound participation continues to grow, the opportunity also extends outward. Through the Globalink Research Award, TRU students can pursue research placements abroad by working with faculty to develop international projects. Through Mitacs experiences, students gain hands-on research skills, build global networks and develop the independence and adaptability that support future graduate study and career pathways.
As this summer’s record cohort wraps up their projects, TRU is building on that growth to ensure more students and faculty take part, both on campus and around the world. Students and faculty interested in learning more can connect with TRU Study Abroad or explore Mitacs programs directly.
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