National Survey on Sexual Harassment in STEM Experiential Learning

Thank you for your interest in this survey. The survey is anonymous and takes 20-40 minutes to complete depending on your role. The deadline to respond is September 30, 2026.

We have provided detailed information about the study below. Please take a moment to review and then indicate your consent to participate at the bottom of the page.

About the Research

Title of Study

National Survey on Sexual Harassment in STEM Experiential Learning

Researchers

This research is being conducted by Britney De Costa (Research & Strategy Lead), Tehreem Fatima (Interim Project Director), and Osarumen Ekhator (Research Assistant), on behalf of At the Root Project. To contact the Research Team please email research@attherootproject.ca.

At the Root Project is a national non-profit focused on addressing sexual and gender-based violence in experiential learning opportunities (e.g. co-ops, internships, placements, labs, etc.).

Although you may have received an invitation to participate in this research from an individual at your workplace, experiential learning setting, post-secondary institution, or other organization you belong to, this research is not being conducted on their behalf.

This research is funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada.

Purpose of the Research

While there has been increasing attention to the issue of sexual harassment in experiential learning and sexual harassment in STEM broadly, there continues to be a lack of attention on the unique experiences of students in STEM-focused experiential learning, especially in the Canadian context.

Experiential Learning offers postsecondary students opportunities to take action and reflect on their efforts. It is curricular learning, meaning that it is connected to a student's program and/or course by providing credit towards a student's degree or program of study. There are many types of experiential learning as outlined by CEWIL Canada here. Some examples include co-ops, internships, and project-based course work, such as an Honours Thesis Research Project.

We are conducting this national survey to generate a baseline understanding of the nature, prevalence and impact of sexual harassment in STEM experiential learning contexts, as well as to identify available resources, supports, and reporting options.

This research will contribute to national data that can be used to advance gender equity and support systems change at the organizational, institutional, and policy levels.

Who Should Complete This Survey

We want to hear from anyone who is currently or has recently been (within the previous 48 months):

• Enrolled as a student at a Canadian post-secondary institution;
• A staff and/or faculty members at a Canadian post-secondary institution; and
• An employer or experiential learning provider, including anyone employed by a business or organization that hosts post-secondary students in experiential learning positions.

Note: You must be of the age of majority in your province or territory in order to participate. The age of majority in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, and Yukon is 18 years. The age of majority in British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, and Nunavut is 19.

What You Will Be Asked to Do

You are being asked to voluntarily complete this anonymous, online survey. We will ask you questions about:

• Your role, workplace, and/or experiential learning position;
• Experiences and/or observations of sexual harassment in experiential learning;
• Your thoughts on existing and future response and prevention efforts by post-secondary institutions, workplaces or experiential learning settings, and provincial, territorial, and federal governments.

This survey should take an estimated 20-40 minutes to complete, depending on your role:

• Student participants: 30 minutes
• Staff and/or faculty participants: 20 minutes
• Employer and/or experiential learning provider participants: 20 minutes
• Participants with multiple roles: 30-40 minutes

Deadline to respond: Wednesday, September 30, 2026

Incentive for Participation

Informants will not be compensated for this study, however, as a token of our appreciation students or recent graduate participants, may choose to be entered into a random draw to win 1 of 2 $100 cash prizes distributed through e-transfer. To be entered into the draw, you will be provided a link to a separate form after you submit your anonymized survey. The separate form will ask you to provide an email address where you can be contacted, and confirm that you can provide relevant banking details to receive an e-transfer should you win one of the cash prizes. A reminder that you are not required to answer all questions in order to submit your survey and access the linked form, all respondents have the freedom to skip any questions in the survey without penalty.

We will contact you by email no later than October 31, 2026 if you are randomly selected as the winner of the draw. The email provided for the purposes of the draw will not be connected with the anonymous data you share with us in the survey. Your email will be kept confidential and will not be used for any purpose other than to conduct the draw and contact the winners. All email addresses collected for the purposes of the draw will be deleted after the draw is complete.

Potential Risks

We recognize that participating in a survey on sexual harassment may cause some emotional or psychological distress, anxiety, or discomfort. Should you choose to participate, you may skip any question you are not comfortable with, and you may pause or end your participation at any point prior to submitting your survey responses.

A list of available supports and resources is available at https://www.canada.ca/en/women-gender-equality/gender-based-violence/get-help-now.html. This link is also included on each page of the survey. These supports and resources are available to anyone, regardless of your participation in the survey. Reminders are also included throughout the survey ahead of potentially triggering questions. Should you choose to participate, we encourage you to complete the survey in a private or safe space.

Potential Benefits

There are no direct benefits to you for participating in this survey. However, you may appreciate having a confidential space to share your thoughts, opinions, and experiences. Participation may also increase your knowledge of what sexual harassment is, validate personal experiences, and increase awareness of available supports and resources.

Findings from this research will be used to advance knowledge in the area of sexual harassment in STEM experiential learning, including identifying gaps and promising practices in responses to sexual harassment in STEM experiential learning, as well as policy implications. This knowledge advancement will benefit society as a whole by contributing to the knowledge base necessary to address sexual harassment.

Voluntary Participation & Withdrawal

Your participation in this study is voluntary. You may choose to skip any question, with the exception of a short set of initial consent and required screening questions. You can also stop participating at any point up to clicking SUBMIT at the end of the survey. To withdraw, simply exit the survey/close your browser. However, please note that your responses will be saved on your browser until you either clear your ‘cookies’ or submit your responses. Because the survey is anonymous, once you submit your responses, we will not be able to determine which survey answers belong to you, and so we cannot withdraw your information from our study at that point.

Your decision not to volunteer, to stop participating, or to refuse to answer particular questions will not influence your relationship with any person, organization, or institution affiliated with this research project.

For student participants, you will still be eligible to enter the draw for 1 of 2 $100 cash prizes for agreeing to be in the project, regardless of whether you complete the entire survey, partially complete the survey, or withdraw without completion. To withdraw without completion you must simply submit your incomplete survey, skipping all questions (with the exception of a short set of initial consent and required screening questions), and you will be directed towards the separate form for the raffle entry.

Please note that by clicking SUBMIT at the end of the study you are providing your consent for participation. By consenting to participate you are not waiving any of your legal rights as a research participant.

Confidentiality

This survey is anonymous, and we will not ask you for directly identifying information, such as your name, email address, or affiliated institution, organization or workplace. While we will ask demographic and contextual questions, these questions are designed not to pose a risk of identification, and you may choose to skip any question you do not feel comfortable answering.

How Your Information Will Be Protected

Only the researchers named in this study, and the project's evaluation consultant, Dr. Salina Abji, will have access to the raw data.

This research uses SurveyMonkey to collect data. SurveyMonkey collects your answers to survey questions, your IP address, and your general location. For more information about how SurveyMonkey protects your information, see the SurveyMonkey Privacy Notice.

If you would rather participate through an email or paper-based survey, please contact research@attherootproject.ca. If you do choose to participate through an email or paper-based survey, your identity will be known to the researchers, but your information will be kept confidential.

This research uses a secure Sync cloud account to store collected data. For more information about how Sync protects your information, visit their website.

Individual data will be permanently deleted, including from SurveyMonkey and the Sync account, once the study is complete, no later than March 2027.

Only aggregate data or anonymized quotes will be shared publicly.

Questions

If you have any questions about this survey, please email research@attherootproject.ca.

For updates on the research, sign up for the At the Root Project Newsletter or visit https://www.attherootproject.ca/national-survey.