Scinapse 2017-2018 Undergraduate Science Case Competition: What the Frack is this?

Abstract

The Scinapse Undergraduate Science Case Competition (USCC) allows undergraduate students to experience the development of a new research proposal based off a given topic. A case is presented to all participants and using an in-depth literature search (publications, reports, studies and published writings), students connect and pinpoint key elements allowing them to construct a hypothesis in support of the case in question. The participants will then design a controlled experiment to determine whether their hypothesis is valid or not. Students register in teams of 2-4. The first round of the USCC involves the submission of a written proposal. The top 10% of proposals will be invited to uOttawa to compete in a poster competition against finalists of other universities from across the province. This year’s topic was hydraulic fracturing, a process that entails many environmental and health related challenges. The 2018 USCC attracted 743 students from 9 universities across the country, the top 25% of written submissions are highlighted in this abstract booklet. Scinapse is part of a larger organization, Undergraduate Research Initiative (URI), with the primary goal of inciting interest in research and developing related skills. More information on Scinapse and URI can be found at http://scinapsescience.com and http://uri-irpc.ca.