I-STEAM Pathways: Environmental Education Program for Indigenous Students

Enabling First Nations, Métis or Inuit undergraduate students to gain research experience in environmental fields including science, environmental engineering, environmental law and policy.

I-STEAM Pathways: Environmental Research Internships for Indigenous Students

Providing research experience for First Nations, Métis and Inuit undergraduate students in environmentally-related fields including science, environmental engineering, environmental law and policy, and planetary health.
Fostering systemic change through culturally appropriate incorporation of Indigenous knowledge and values in environmental policy and planning.

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Internship applications

All First Nations, Métis and Inuit undergraduate students attending a Canadian post-secondary institution are eligible to apply. Applications for the Summer 2026 internship program will open here in December 2025.

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Partners, Sponsors, Giving

Our partnership with the National Research Council, Canada, provides exciting research opportunities for I-STEAM Pathways not only in Alberta but also beyond. Their support also extends our professional development training for interns as well as researchers.

The program relies heavily on public and private sponsors to financially support our indigenous interns and scale the program. Learn more about how you can donate.

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About

Voices of I-Steam Pathways Indigenous Interns in The Summer of 2024

This summer, 22 highly energised and engaged Indigenous undergraduate interns from a wide range of Indigenous communities including Wolf Lake, Algonquin, Carry the Kettle, Saddle Lake, Sucker Creek, the Metis Nation of Alberta, Saskatchewan Metis Nation, Berens River Manitoba, and Lac La Biche completed the program. They engaged in a wide range of environmental research projects that included soil carbon storage in grasslands, innovative technologies to monitor water quality and to improve the recycling of plastics, the natural resistance mechanisms of lodgepole pines to mountain pine beetles, sustainable local food production in remote communities, permafrost analysis, and much more!

This video contains snippets of their experiences as they and their supervisors carried out exciting and highly-relevant environmental research that addresses critical issues facing communities today.

Testimonials

My I-STEAM Pathways internship, supervised by Dr. Erin Bayne, was a turning point in my academic journey. It provided me with field experience and crucial research connections, leading me to complete an NSERC USRA in magnetotelluric research with Dr. Martyn Unsworth. These opportunities were significant in my acceptance to the Juneau Icefield Research Program, where I gained a deep appreciation for polar environments and a passion for mountaineering exploration. As a result, I’m now eager to pursue graduate education in glacial dynamics, recognizing their vital role in planetary processes and life on Earth.

Keeya Beausoleil, Menominee Métis, 2021 intern

I have learned that we should be managing our water bodies by investigating the health of organism populations as water scarcity can become a threat in the future if we are not monitoring for changes. By having knowledge of indicators it would help in monitoring of the Athabasca river.

Janelle Flett, 2020 intern

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