Skills Workshops

Welcome to our Skills Workshops page, your gateway to unlocking practical knowledge and enhancing your research capabilities. Here, you will find a range of hands-on workshops designed to equip you with essential skills for success in the world of research. By participating in our workshops, you will not only acquire skills that are directly applicable to research, but also develop a competitive advantage when seeking research opportunities. The hands-on nature of these workshops ensures that you gain a deep understanding of fundamental methodologies and techniques that are highly sought after in academia, industry, and beyond.

Upcoming Skills Workshops

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Fall 2024 Skills Workshops

Chloroplast DNA Extraction

October 25th, 2024

Cell Staining and Microscopy

September 27, 2024

Conduct a hands-on Gram staining activity to differentiate between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and observe and interpret the results of Gram staining under a microscope.

Accessing and Evaluating Academic Literature Click to view slides

September 23, 2024

This is a great opportunity to get acquainted with sourcing and analyzing academic literature whether you are a Level 1 student or taking upper year research practicum and thesis courses.

Past Skills Workshops

Blood Smear and Identify Your Cells – Dr. Sonia Rehal

March 22, 2024

  • Learn to spread a drop of blood on a slide
  • Stain with hematoxylin and eosin stain to identify blood cells
  • Look under a microscope using the highest magnifying lens with oil
  • Identify your white, red and platelets

Restriction Enzymes – Dr. Sonia Rehal

March 8, 2024

  • Learn what restriction enzymes mean in the world of DNA.
  • Work with electrophoresis and gels.
  • Work out the best way to cut through some DNA.

Introduction to LaTeX Click to view slides

March 6, 2024

This workshop will introduce you to LaTeX, a typesetting system commonly used in STEM disciplines to create high-quality documents and easily write mathematical equations. We will discuss tools for writing in LaTeX, the structural elements of LaTeX, text formatting, and commands for writing mathematical equations. You will learn the commands to create your first LaTeX document.

Chloroplasts and Cell Counts – Dr. Sonia Rehal

February 16, 2024

  • Learn how to extract cells from a plant.
  • Learn to use a hemocytometer.
  • Look under a microscope and count the smallest cells in the thousands.

Conducting Systematic Reviews Click to view slides

February 8, 2024

Librarians Katie Harding and Stephanie Sanger will provide you with the knowledge and research skills you need to begin your systematic review. First, we’ll discuss what a systematic review is and how it differs from other types of reviews. Next, we’ll explore methods for developing your research question, building your search strategy, and managing the articles you find. Elevate your research skills in this concise and practical session.

Microbiology Skills Workshop

February 2, 2024

  • Learn to streak an agar plate
  • Stain with gram stain to identify bacteria
  • Look under a microscope using the highest magnifying lens with oil

Exploring the quantum world with neutron beams - Dr. Pat Clancy Click to view description

November 27, 2023

We will learn about Bert Brockhouse, the Nobel prize winning physicist from McMaster who helped to develop this technique, and visit the McMaster Nuclear Reactor, home to the only neutron scattering research facility in the country. Find out what neutron beams can tell us about everything from magnets and high temperature superconductors to batteries, red blood cells, and 3D printed steels.