Rylie LaBoret

Population Level Differences in the Parasite Prevalence of Brook Stickleback

Faculty: Science and Technology 

Program: Biology 

Supervisors: Jon Mee & Levi Newediuk 

Biology honours student Rylie LaBoret has always loved the water and anything that lives in it. From the creatures of the sea to tiny animals in small lakes and ponds, LaBoret has held a fascination for animals that call the water home. When the opportunity to research animals living in Alberta’s many lakes and ponds presented itself, LaBoret jumped at the chance to be involved.

Under the supervision of Dr. Jon Mee, LaBoret dove into research on tiny fish that inhabit Alberta’s waterways, specifically the Brook Spined Stickleback. Working in the lab at MRU, LaBoret’s primary project was examining the prevalence of parasite infection across years and different bodies of water. Over the course of dissecting hundreds of fish specimens, LaBoret discovered that the prevalence of parasite infestation on individual fish varied greatly across different bodies of water and the particular year in which individual fish were caught.

Lakes that, in some cases, were right next to each other could have completely different levels of infestation. Fish from one lake could have zero parasites, and individuals from the other lake could contain up to two parasites. This also changed drastically from year to year. One lake could have no evidence of parasites present in fish for three years, then suddenly, the population skyrockets in the fourth year, which then craters in the fifth year. LaBoret says this has impactful implications for conservation.

“Our results show that, even though organisms are of the same species, it does not mean that they are evolving the same way. When you are watching National Geographic on TV, and you see a pride of lions, it never really occurs to you that there could be completely different adaptations going on in that pride vs. a pride of lions that lives somewhere else. We just think that a lion is a lion, and all lions are the same,” LaBoret says.

When it comes to conserving these fish, the results show that a singular conservation strategy might not be successful across all populations of the same species at the same time. LaBoret hopes this research can be explored further to help predict when parasitic outbreaks will occur, which will help conservationists target their efforts at specific locations and times to enhance mitigation and protection of at-risk species.

Overall, LaBoret says the undergraduate research experience was a dream come true and eagerly awaits the next opportunities that will arrive in the next steps of her education and beyond.

“Partaking in undergraduate research was probably the best thing I could have ever done for myself in University. I learned things about myself that I never knew, and it strengthened my passion and interest in research so much. The most important part for me was building relationships with people who continue to support me even after my research ended. I have people who are not only willing to guide me but also give me the tools for success that I would never have had without undergraduate research. This experience was not only a fun time, but I can honestly say that it changed my life.”

Sadra Shamanian Esfahani 

Digital Approaches to the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment: Rapid Review of Digital Tools to Assess Physical Domain of Frailty

Faculty: Health, Community and Education 

Program: Nursing and Midwifery 

Supervisors: Jocelyn Rempel & Gail Crockford 

Sadra Shamanian is a third-year Bachelor of Nursing student at Mount Royal University. Sadra’s interest in research grew out of his clinical placements and involvement with the Centre for Health and Innovation in Aging. That interest was able to fully develop when Sadra began work as a Research Assistant through the Alberta Innovates Summer Research Studentship. Under the supervision of Gail Crockford and Jocelyn Rempel, Sadra set out to answer a practical question that lay at the crossroads of digital health technology and geriatric care: what smartphone apps are available in Canada that help assess how well older adults move and function? And, are they backed by scientific evidence and rigorous practical testing?

Sadra downloaded and reviewed 13 apps available on the apple and google play stores, assessing each app through a standardized quality rating system. Many of the apps were designed for collaborative use between patients and caregivers. They also often utilize recent technological advances such as artificial intelligence and motion capture. However, Sadra found that app quality varied considerably, and only a handful had been formally studied in older populations in healthcare settings, suggesting technological advancements were being implemented faster than their usefulness could be ascertained.

With the help of his supervisors, Sadra produced a manuscript of their findings, which is currently under review at the Geriatric Nursing Journal. Sadra also presented at the International Society for Gerontechnology’s 15th World Conference, bringing the findings to an international audience. Sadra hopes that his research will provide practitioners and researchers with a map of currently available tools, while also identifying gaps and possible avenues for further research, to help the continued development of tools to assist in geriatric care.

Meekena Erkin 

Justice in the Age of AI: Prosecuting Synthetic Child Abuse Material

Faculty: Arts 

Program: Criminal Justice  

Supervisor: Scharie Tavcer

Generative AI tools and content have proliferated at an astonishing rate over the past few years as new tools are developed and pushed by tech giants. Every aspect of society, from entertainment to industry, is being impacted. Each new generative AI tool promises to completely restructure life and society.  

However, as these tools advance and encroach on daily life, they are also being turned toward the darkest of purposes. Generative AI is being used to create child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and the rate at which it is created is on the rise.

This disturbing reality caught fourth-year Criminal Justice student Meekena Erkin’s attention, and with the help of her supervisor Dr. Scharie Tavcer, she wanted to examine whether the Canadian justice system is prepared to handle this new threat.

The topic first came to Erkin’s attention when she learned of the 2023 case of Steven Laroche, one of the first instances of AI-generated CSAM prosecuted in Canada.

“I initially perceived this case as a rare phenomenon; however, when I began looking further into the issue, I learned that AI-generated CSAM content was rapidly rising on a global scale. This increasing trend of harmful content was disturbing to learn about, and I realized there was a pressing need to explore the prevention and prosecution of AI-generated CSAM as part of the goal of protecting Canada’s children,” Erkin says.

Erkin wanted to examine whether Canada’s current legislation on generative AI was robust enough to effectively prosecute such cases. To answer this, Erkin conducted a literature review of artificial intelligence models and child sexual abuse material (CSAM), while also reviewing Canada’s current legislation and the regulation of generative AI models. She then examined six Supreme Court of Canada cases over the past 30 years that involved sexual violence against children. Erkin sought to identify the precedents set by these cases and how the outcomes will guide future legal decisions.

While all forms of CSAM are banned in Canada, Erkin found that there is a lack of a legal framework to address the unique nature of AI-generated CSAM. Related to this is the increased need to officially regulate generative AI models. Additionally, there is a need to increase investment in resources to help standardize the prosecution of AI-generated CSAM. This includes educating judges and other legal professionals on generative AI models. Erkin identified these knowledge gaps and stresses the need for further education.

“AI-generated CSAM threatens and harms all children. This content involves the direct abuse of children, and also normalizes this behaviour against children. A common misconception of AI-generated CSAM is that it is a ‘victimless’ crime since it depicts a fictional or non-real child. However, one AI-generated CSAM video requires thousands of images and/or videos of real abuse to be created.”

As generative AI becomes more popular, the need to properly regulate it becomes increasingly necessary, and Erkin stresses that action is needed now.

Elliot Perot 

The Socialization of Spaces: Investigating the Role Third Spaces Play in Campus Sustainability

Faculty: Business, Communication Studies & Aviation

Program: Information Design 

Supervisor: Lauren Dwyer 

Elliot Perot has a passion for urban design and for understanding how, where and why communities organize themselves. The third-year Information Design student channelled that passion into their Research and Scholarship Days project, researching the extent to which third spaces on campus influenced students’ desires to care for their environment.

Third spaces are places of community socialization that are not home, work, or typical academic work spaces. For university students on campus, this can include spaces such as community halls, cafes, or libraries. Perot examined the intersection between third spaces and the environment, explaining that while these concepts do not clearly align, they do encompass elements of social cohesion and community building. To explore the connection, Perot worked to identify attitudes towards environmental sustainability habits among students who use community spaces on campus.

Aspects of environmental caretaking can include simple acts such as keeping places clean by throwing away garbage. Perot included various third spaces on campus in their analysis, including eating spaces such as Wyckham House and department-specific spaces such as the Communications lounge.

Over the course of their literature review, Perot found that literature linking third space socialization to environmental sustainability was fragmented. Interviews conducted with students regarding their usage of socialization spaces on campus showed that academic third spaces, such as department lounges, were often not intentionally chosen as socialization spaces. Interviews showed that students chose spaces based on community participation, self-expression and convenience. Perot did identify a connection between third spaces and environmental sustainability attitudes, particularly in eating spaces. This connection is driven through empathy.

“From a systems lens, empathy links third space interactions with student conservation habits through a cycle. Empathy sustains both environmental awareness and community ties within third spaces, which contribute to students developing habits that care for their environment. When students were more aware of each other, their space, and the impact of their actions, they were more likely to act accordingly,” Perot says.

Third spaces can encourage more environmentally sustainable actions because those who use third spaces (students) are encouraged to act responsibly to maintain the quality of the space they socialize in and care about.

Perot says that the research process was “quite all-consuming, but incredibly satisfying in the end,” and states that their undergraduate research opportunity fed their passion for qualitative research and investigation.