The Indigenous Mentorship and Paid Research Experience for Summer Students (IMPRESS) program at McGill University is more than just a summer job—it is a chance for Indigenous undergraduate students from McGill, as well as other post-secondary institutions, to explore research, connect with mentors, gain insight into graduate studies, and build skills that support their academic and career goals.
For Olivia Maracle-Hill, a second-year psychology student from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory near Toronto, taking part in this program has been a defining part of her time at McGill. She is wrapping up her summer internship with Professor Yann Joly on the D2R-funded project “A First Inclusive Study on the ELSI Aspects of RNA Technologies and Therapeutics.” The project explores the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of RNA technologies in medicine and research, which was an ideal fit for Olivia’s interdisciplinary interests at the intersection of science, policy and social issues.