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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Giving and Donors

I-STEAM Pathways relies on public and private sponsors to help support and scale the program. Learn more about how you can donate.

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About

2024 Empowering Indigenous Youth Environmental Research For A Sustainable Future

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

Knowledge gained from these internships could be used to mobilize indigenous communities and help create sustainable solutions for timber harvesting or conservation of endangered species. The water monitoring opportunity could be especially impactful for indigenous communities, as some of them are very dependent on natural water sources.

Clay Gottschalk, 2020 intern

During my summer with I-STEAM, I had the opportunity to research with Dr. Ran Zhao’s lab. This experience allowed me to pursue various research projects throughout the summer, and present my findings at a scientific conference at the end. Dr. Zhao has guided me to pursue a MSc in Forest Biology and Management focusing on Wildfire Management at the University of Alberta. The interdisciplinary nature of this internship allowed me to gain experience that will be useful throughout my academic career and professional life.

Carter Kuiper, Bigstone Cree Nation, 2020 intern

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