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.

Project Submissions

Supervisor applications and project submissions for the 2022 internship program are now closed. Details of projects available will be posted shortly.

Key Program Objectives

  1. Provide Indigenous undergraduate students with opportunities to get involved in research, thereby providing a pathway to advanced degrees 
  2. Provide mentors for Indigenous students as they undertake their journey 
  3. Increase the capacity of Indigenous communities to respond to the significant environmental challenges of this time; and
  4. Interweave Indigenous knowledge throughout the program and where possible, into the research.

Project Supervisors Responsibilities

  1. Oversee a research project aligned with environmental education goals (e.g. environmental sciences, law, policy, engineering) and relevant to Indigenous communities.
  2. Supervise students in a practical field/research experience (35 hours/week for 8-16 weeks between May-August 2022)
  3. Mentor the intern(s) in their development of research knowledge and skills, as well as in their exploration of career pathways in environmental science
  4. Attend a seminar on mentoring Indigenous students on Friday April 29, 2022.
    Due to the possibility of ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, we ask that contingency plans be included which will as far as possible provide a quality research research experience for interns.

Key Dates and Timelines 

  • November 5, 2021: Submission portal will open for the Summer 2021 internship program. Professors/supervisors are encouraged to make project submissions as early as possible from this date. 
  • December 13, 2021: Submission of supervisors project proposals close.
  • December 20, 2021: Supervisors will be notified if their project has been selected after proposals have been reviewed by the I-STEAM leadership team. 
  • December 22, 2021: Students applications portal will open. Selected projects will be advertised online for student applications.
  • January 28, 2022: Student applications portal will close. 
  • February 2022 – Interviews. Applicants who advance from initial screening to the interview stage will be contacted for an interview. 
  • February 26 2022: Interns’ recruitment will be completed, including initial screening, interviews, selection and matching of final student internship candidates to supervisors/projects. Supervisors will be invited to participate in the interview and process of matching students to projects.
  • February 28, 2022 -Final Selection: Applicants who are successfully interviewed and matched to a project and supervisor will be informed from this date. 
  • May-August, 2022 – Internship Placements: Project placements will vary in length from 8-16 weeks. All projects will take place within this timeframe.  

If you have any questions regarding the research project submission and selection process, please contact us at isteam@ualberta.ca