From its inception, the journal aimed to inspire undergraduates to engage with scientific inquiry and to provide a home for outstanding research that might have otherwise gone unseen. Just as importantly, MSURJ encouraged interdisciplinary thinking within McGill’s community of young scientists, publishing work across the full breadth of the Faculties of Science, Engineering, and beyond. Twenty years later, MSURJ remains committed to these founding goals. That being said, new guiding principles have also emerged, shaped by the changing culture of science and academia.

The first edition of MSURJ published a selection of articles that were presented at the first McGill URC, which took place earlier in 2005. It wasn’t until the second volume, published two years later in 2007, that MSURJ adopted what would become its most defining principle: the application of a rigorous peer review process to every manuscript.

When MSURJ was reprised in 2007, it became one of the first undergraduate research journals in North America to hold up its articles to the rigorous standards of scientific peer review. This pivot gave undergraduate authors a transparent look at some of the challenges of publishing a scientific work: grappling with reviewer feedback, refining their arguments, and defending their conclusions. For several of the MSURJ alumni whom we interviewed in March 2025, the journal’s steadfast commitment to its competitive and rigorous editorial process had a lifelong impact on their understanding of what makes good science. In an interview with one previous editor/co-editor-in-chief on the board (2006-2009), they remarked, “Prior to being on MSURJ, I did not know much about the scientific publication process, but I was able to get a much better understanding while being on the board.” For this previous co-EIC, MSURJ inspired a continued interest in scientific publishing, and they later went on to become an editor on the Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine.

In 2011 — four years after MSURJ’s second volume and its adoption of peer review practices — the journal underwent its next major evolution in ethos. While the accessibility of journal articles had always been part of MSURJ’s culture, the early 2010s ushered in a renewed emphasis on science communication — not just for undergraduate researchers, but also for a broader audience that included students outside McGill and members of the general public. Editors at the time began to reflect on the journal’s role not only in upholding academic standards, but in making science understandable and engaging to non-specialists.

In 2010, the editorial board began a tradition of community outreach initiatives aimed at CÉGEP students in the Montreal area, helping these students solidify their foundation in scientific writing and encouraging involvement in undergraduate research. The next year, in 2011, the editorial board launched The Abstract, MSURJ’s popular science blog. This platform opened a new avenue for students to explore science writing without the mandate of conducting completely original research. That same year, MSURJ also began accepting submissions from undergraduates at institutions beyond McGill — a quiet but meaningful step toward expanding its reach and encouraging dialogue across institutional and affiliation boundaries. 

A decade ago, only a minority of undergraduates gave serious thought to conducting research during their bachelor’s degrees — let alone publishing their findings, as one MSURJ alumnus reflected in an interview in March 2025. Today, a much larger proportion of students across disciplines are actively pursuing research positions and competing for publication opportunities. This shift is driven in part by the rising expectations of graduate and medical school admissions committees.

Regardless of the cause, the changing student attitude toward undergraduate research presents both a challenge and an opportunity for MSURJ’s editorial board: to adapt to a more competitive landscape, while continuing to fulfill the journal’s mission in service of the scientific communities at McGill and beyond. In response to this growing demand, MSURJ has introduced several new initiatives aimed at supporting students’ research goals. This year, MSURJ organized an Undergraduate Research Seminar in collaboration with the Science Undergraduate Society (SUS) to meet the increased demand from students for opportunities to showcase their research. The board also continued a longstanding tradition of organizing workshops to empower undergraduates with skills useful for scientific research across disciplines, like R, Python, and LaTeX. MSURJ is always looking for alternative ways to support young scientists towards their academic aspirations.

Over its twenty years of operation, MSURJ’s mission has evolved from simply inspiring undergraduates to pursue research to embracing a dual responsibility: to rigorously train future scientists and to help build a more scientifically literate society. While the organization’s goals have expanded, one attribute has remained constant. Across all generations of the journal, MSURJ alumni agree on what makes the publication special: the people involved in the process — from editors to authors to peer reviewers — and the lasting connections forged through that shared work.

“Getting to meet other like-minded people in science and research was inspiring. It was amazing to be surrounded by others who were so hardworking,” noted one former editor/co-editor-in-chief (2011-2014).

True to this legacy, MSURJ continues to honor the collaborative effort behind each volume with an annual tradition that brings the community together. On April 8, from 6:00 to 9:00 P.M., MSURJ will host its annual journal launch in Thomson House — an evening dedicated to honoring the editors, writers, and reviewers whose efforts made the 20th volume, and indeed 20 years of MSURJ, possible. If you are interested in celebrating two decades of rigorous undergraduate research and the people that make it possible, we would love to see you there!

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