Editor, the Gauntlet,
The Students’ Union recently held its annual Summer Student Research Symposium in the Mac Hall Ballroom. The event was a fantastic display of undergraduate summer research endeavors; allowing students the opportunity to showcase their hard work. My favourite part of the event occurred during the prizing of the event, as the “Science Judges” approached the podium and informed the crowd that they had “no scientific background or knowledge.” I’m sure the science students who put a great deal of effort into their projects truly appreciated having their projects completely undermined and undervalued. If only other institutions employed such wisdom, I’m sure Ralph Klein would have a shot at the Nobel Prize for Medicine!
It’s an insult and a disgrace to the students who entered the symposium that their work was being rated by judges with no expertise in the field. I fail to recognize the logic or sensibility behind such decisions and hold in question the purpose of engaging in this symposium. I hope that the debauchery of such an event doesn’t discourage students from participating in future symposiums. I can only hope that in the future, the Students’ Union will decide to take students seriously and hesitate from insulting their work in such a manner.