The BRC Undergraduate Diversity Research Grants Program has merged with the Biology Undergraduate Diversity in Research mentorship program. Please visit the Biology Undergraduate Diversity in Research website for opportunities and application information: https://zoology-budr-2022.sites.olt.ubc.ca/
Background
There is a well-documented history of systemic discrimination against persons who identify as Indigenous, Black, or People of Color (abbreviated as IBPOC), and/or as visible minorities in Vancouver and more broadly in British Columbia and Canada. The impact of this history together with ongoing discrimination, both personal and systemic, can be seen for example, in the under-representation of persons who identify as IBPOC within university faculty compared to the Canadian population.
The Biodiversity Research Centre is resolved to work against racism and to promote diversity within our centre as well as more broadly in the scientific community. In discussions with a variety of groups (undergraduate and graduate students, staff, faculty), an often-expressed suggestion is to provide more specific mentorship and research opportunities for undergraduates who self-identify as IBPOC. Hence, in 2021 we established this Undergraduate Diversity Research Grants Program, which has since successfully funded 34 student research projects. In 2025 the BRC program merged with the Biology Undergraduate Diversity Research mentorship program. The BRC continues to be a major funder of this program.
We note that while this grants program is specifically for students who self-identify as Indigenous, Black, or a Person of Colour (i.e., a visible minority in academia), the BRC is also welcoming of a wide variety of undergraduate researchers through other ongoing programs (e.g., the Biology Honours program, NSERC USRA awards, etc.).