Applications and project submissions for the 2026 I-STEAM Pathways Program will open on October 27, 2025. Please read all the information on this page. The portal for applications will open at the link below and will close on December 12, 2025.
Key Program Objectives
- Provide Indigenous undergraduate students with opportunities to be in experiential environmental research and provide a pathway to advanced degrees
- Provide mentors for Indigenous students as they undertake their journey
- Increase the capacity of Indigenous communities to respond to the significant environmental challenges of this time; and
- Where feasible, interweave Indigenous knowledge throughout the program and into the research.
Project Supervisors Responsibilities
- Oversee a research project aligned with environmental education goals (e.g. environmental sciences, climate change, engineering, environmental law, policy) and relevant to Indigenous communities
- Supervise students in a practical field/research experience (35 hours/week for 16 weeks between May-August)
- Mentor the intern(s) in their development of research knowledge and skills, as well as in their exploration of career pathways in environmental science; and
- Attend a seminar on mentoring Indigenous students and principles and practice of Indigenous research.
In case of pandemic circumstances, we ask that contingency plans be included which will as far as possible provide a quality research research experience for interns.
Key Dates and Timeline for the 2025 program.
- October 2024: The Project submission portal for the Summer 2025 internship program will open 29 October and close on December 7, 2024. Project leads and supervisors are encouraged to make project submissions as early as possible from this date.
- December 2024: Supervisors will be notified if their project has been selected after proposals have been reviewed by the I-STEAM leadership team.
- December 2024 Students applications portal will open. Selected projects will be advertised online for student applications.
- January 2025: Student applications portal will close.
- February 2025: Applicants who advance from initial screening to the interview stage will be contacted for an interview.
- February 2025: 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.
- 28 February 2025 -Final Selection: Applicants who are successfully interviewed and matched to a project and supervisor will be informed from this date.
- May-August 2025 – Internship Placements: Project placements are generally 16 weeks in length. All projects will take place within this timeframe.
Application deadline is December 7, 2024
If you have any questions regarding the research project submission and selection process, please contact us at isteam@ualberta.ca