Student Program for Research Engagement and Excellence (SPREE)
UPEI’s Summer Program for Research Engagement and Excellence (SPREE) supports undergraduate and graduate students engaged in research at UPEI. The program includes weekly lunch and learn sessions over the summer, and concludes with a research poster competition.
The program’s objectives:
- building capacity in students’ research and research communication skills;
- raising awareness of the range of research-focused career paths;
- fostering community amongst students engaged in research over the summer.
Through the weekly Lunch & Learn workshops participants learn from the insights of experienced researchers and peers. Topics may include: designing and managing a research project, effectively communicating research, research-focused careers, and more!
The research poster competition highlights the fascinating research participants have been engaged in, offering an opportunity to communicate their research to the broader UPEI community. Participants are eligible to win cash prizes, with a new ‘People’s Choice Award’ added for Summer 2025.
The program brings together students from across disciplines to meet, network, and build community, sharing their passion for research and learning.
Past participant testimonials:
“Participating in the SPREE program was a great opportunity to hear about the diverse career journeys of UPEI faculty and staff—it really broadened my perspective on potential paths in academia and industry. I also enjoyed connecting with fellow student researchers from across campus, which can be rare when you're deeply focused on your own work. The final poster presentation was a highlight, helping me build confidence in communicating my research to a wider audience.”
- Mukhayyo Sultonova, MSc Molecular and Macromolecular Sciences alumnus, and current PhD Molecular and Macromolecular Sciences student
“I have participated in the SPREE (formerly SPUR) program for the last two years and I am excited to sign up for another summer of engaging research talks! Hearing from diverse members of the UPEI community encourages me to think beyond the borders of my own discipline and enriches how I approach my research. The program is also a fantastic opportunity to meet students from other departments, who you might not have the chance to meet otherwise! The skills you gain as a SPREE participant are invaluable and have had a long-lasting impact on my work as an undergraduate research assistant."
- Abby Chapman, BSc FSDE student (2nd place winner 2024 SPREE and 1st place winner 2023 SPUR program poster competitions)
“My PhD supervisor encouraged me to take part in the Spree program the summer of 2024. It was a wonderful introduction to the world of academic research. The special guests offered many useful tips from Ethics Board Applications to how to develop a research question. The culminating activity was a poster presentation. Going through the process of sharing my research through a poster prepared me for presenting at the CSSE conference for educators in June 2025. The sessions were well organized, and I encourage every grad student to take part in this program."
- Syndi MacEachern, PhD Educational Studies student
Eligibility:
- Undergraduate students: working on a summer research project under the supervision of a UPEI faculty member, have a UPEI ID
- Graduate students: completing a degree with a research component under the supervision of a UPEI faculty member, have a UPEI ID
Summer 2025 will be the 9th year for the SPREE program (formerly SPUR), and run from June 19 to September 2, 2025.
Express interest in registering for 2025 SPREE by completing a SPREE 2025 Registration Form.
Deadline: Monday, June 16, 2025 at 11:59 pm Atlantic Time
For questions about SPREE, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page or reach out to the 2025 SPREE Student Coordinator Rosetta Shokunbi at tshokunbi@upei.ca.
For 2025, limited spots are available. If there is more interest than the program can accommodate, priority will be given to students who have not previously participated in the SPREE/SPUR program and participants seeking to complete the whole of the program (Lunch & Learns AND Poster Competition).
Learn more about past rounds of the SPREE/SPUR program and the poster competition results:
Undergraduate and graduate students who participated in the 2024 UPEI Student Program for Research Engagement and Excellence (SPREE) poster competition presented their posters on August 22 in McMillan Hall, W.A. Murphy Student Centre.
Students participating in the 2023 UPEI Student Program for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) presented their posters on August 23 in the Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering Building.
