1. Developing the Injury Prevention Centre's Resources for Practitioners in Alberta: Literature Review and Survey Analysis
The mission of the Injury Prevention Centre at the University of Alberta is to reduce catastrophic injuries and deaths in Alberta. We provide resources to a variety of professionals to prevent the average 2,300 deaths, 9,000 disabling injuries, 38,000 hospital admissions and 496,215 emergency department visits annually in AB. Beyond the many personal costs, injuries cost Alberta’s health care system about $5 billion each year (1). The intern will be expected to support three activities that will assist in the development of injury prevention resources for professionals in the province of Alberta. The first will be a literature review to support the development of a Junior High Physical Education and Wellness Alberta Curriculum resource to assist teachers with the instruction of the risk assessment, safety and injury prevention outcomes. The intern will search and select literature and publications, read and evaluate as well as synthesize information related to the topic. Second, is the data-driven completion of interviews as well as analysis and synthesis of statements collected into meaningful impact stories related to injury prevention practices in action. These practices are conducted by the Injury Prevention Centre and are programs like, Brain Waves and Finding Balance. Finally, the analysis of qualitative and quantitative data from three surveys related to the Brain Waves Program to determine trends, links and outcomes that may influence possible future program implications. Review of the program will be necessary in order to understand the possible recommendations to the program development from the surveys. References: Injury Prevention Centre. The Injury Prevention Centre Homepage, https://injurypreventioncentre.ca/. Accessed 9 June 2026.
Research area, student roles & skills
Research area: As the first and longest-standing injury prevention organization in Canada, the Injury Prevention Centre’s mission is to reduce catastrophic injuries and deaths through research, resources, and advocacy. We guide communities and decision-makers with practical knowledge and tools. We promote injury prevention as essential to lifelong health and wellness, using an upstream public health approach. Our team conducts research, analyzes data, and creates evidence-informed resources. Collaborating across sectors, we address our current priority issues of falls among older adults, unintentional poisonings, and injuries affecting children and youth, through targeted strategies, education, and policy influence initiatives.
Student roles:
This is a full time, hybrid position located at University of Alberta. The successful student would be part of a team and work closely with the academic supervisor and designate on the activities outlined. This internship requires the ability to work independently, think critically, pay attention to detail, and communicate with the team on a regular basis. The student is expected to meet the milestones and deliverables as outlined. At the end of the internship, the successful candidate will present internally and possibly externally.
For the first activity, the intern will be completing a literature review answering the following research question: “What evidence-based approaches are most effective for promoting safety knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours among students in Grades 7–9 within physical health and wellness education?” It is recommended that a synthesis matrix is used including: author, methodology, key findings, limitations and relevance to topic. The presentation of findings can be structured thematically, by methodology or by theorized debates b ut should include major contributions to injury prevention, gaps or controversies and/or possible further research and how this information could be used in a junior high school resource.
For the second activity, the intern will be conducting online or telephone interviews with participants regarding programs they have engaged in through the Injury Prevention Centre. Using critical thinking skills they will analyze and synthesize the responses to translate them into meaningful impact statements that will emphasize long-term impact in the area of injury prevention.
In the final activity the intern will use the data platform, Qualtrics to pull reports and analyze data to determine trends, links and key information related to the Brain Waves Program. They will learn about the Brain Waves program for context of the data in order to synthesize the data and make recommendations for program improvements.
Skills required:
Strong English proficiency in reading, speaking and writing skills
Ability to search academic databases
Ability to identify themes, patterns and trends
Can connect evidence to practice, policy and curriculum
Understanding translating research into practical implications
Strong critical thinking and analytical skills with capacity to synthesize evidence into clear actionable insights
Translate findings into compelling meaningful messages
Awareness of possible policy, system or community implications in Alberta
Strategic thinking skills that emphasise upstream, long-term impact
Analysis and interpret quantitative data. Knowledge of data analysis programs, i.e. Qualtrics
Incorporate qualitative evidence into results