Statistical Sciences Research Program (UTSSRP)

Discover Summer Research Opportunities at the University of Toronto

The Statistical Sciences Research Program (UTSSRP) invites Canada’s top statistics, data sciences, and mathematics undergraduates to engage in a transformative research experience. This program provides a unique blend of theoretical study and practical research, supervised by some of the foremost academics in the field.
 

2025 UTSSRP Cohort
 

Collaborative Research Experience Intensive Short Courses Research Seminars
Students will collaborate in teams to tackle either theoretical or applied research projects under our esteemed faculty's guidance and doctoral candidates' mentorship. The program culminates with participants presenting their findings through a lightning talk and a poster session during the final day’s celebratory reception. Our program includes a series of engaging short courses that delve into both theoretical and applied aspects of statistics, delivered by internationally acclaimed faculty members. These courses are designed to provide intensive, graduate-level instruction in key statistical methodologies and frameworks. Our summer research program features a series of captivating seminars where faculty members will present their cutting-edge research, providing students with a window into the vibrant scholarly environment at the University of Toronto. These seminars not only highlight current scientific inquiries but also explore the varied career paths that our PhD graduates follow.

 

Download Program Information

 

Program Overview

Important Dates:

  • Program duration: June 8-19, 2026
  • Application deadline: February 15, 2026

 

Eligibility

To be eligible for the summer school, applicants must:

  • Be Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
  • Be 18 years of age or older at the beginning of the program.
  • Be full-time university students currently in sophomore or junior year (starting 3rd or 4th year in Fall 2026).
  • Have an average grade of A- (3.7) or above in mathematics and statistics courses
  • Be available to attend the whole two-week event.
  • Submit a UTSSRP Application Form
  • A CV or resume
  • Transcript(s) (unofficial ones are accepted)
  • One reference letter from a professor who can comment on your academic and research abilities and potential. The recommendation letter should be sent by the writer directly to utssrp.statistics@utoronto.ca by February 15, 2026.
  • Select up to 3 preferred supervisors for the research project during the program. Note: We do not guarantee that all students will be matched with their preferred supervisors. However, all projects will be fun and valuable for the students’ development. 

To be considered, please email utssrp.statistics@utoronto.ca to receive the upload link to a secure folder.

Your full application must be received by February 15, 2026.

 

2026 Supervisors

Ricardo Baptista: Focuses on probabilistic modeling and computational inference, developing generative and measure-transport methods for complex scientific and engineering problems.

Meredith Franklin: Develops spatio-temporal statistical and machine-learning tools to estimate environmental exposures and assess their impacts on human health.

Sebastian Jaimungal: Works on stochastic modeling, machine learning, and optimization, with applications in finance, insurance, and operations under uncertainty.

Keith Knight: Specializes in theoretical statistics, including asymptotic theory, quantile regression, and extreme-value statistics.

Josh Speagle: Combines astronomy, statistics, and machine learning to build scalable models for mapping stellar populations and understanding galaxy formation.

Elena Tuzhilina: Studies high-dimensional inference, statistical networks, and computational methods for modern data-intensive problems.

Stanislav Volgushev: Works in theoretical and computational statistics, focusing on quantile regression, empirical processes, copulas, and methods for high-dimensional data.

    

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

No, we will book your flight for you. We will be in touch after your acceptance and supporting documents have been submitted.

Accommodations will be provided at Knox College and we have already reserved rooms for the UTSSRP. Full details and logistics will be shared upon acceptance.

We will provide a light breakfast and lunch on the weekdays of the UTSSRP. You are responsible for your dinners and weekends.

We will issue you a cheque which you will receive when you arrive.

Sunday June 1, 2025.

We are planning a virtual welcome event and will be in touch with those details once everyone in the cohort is confirmed.

We may reach out to you with forms for your stipend payment and will provide detailed instructions.

The Summer Research Program will include a select group of students from across Canada.