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MESC Funded Master's Positions

The Master in Environmental & Social Change program offered through the Department of Environmental Studies and Sciences and Department of Geography at The University of Winnipeg has fully funded positions for excellent students in the following areas:

Positions Available

Environmental Studies (3 Positions)
Dried Fish Matters

Dried Fish Matters: Enhancing nutrition security, local livelihoods, and wellbeing for the poor in South Asia

Project website: https://driedfishmatters.org

Description of project:

The economies of South Asian countries are developing rapidly, yet food insecurity and malnutrition continue to be major problems for those in poverty. Dried fish contributes a disproportionate share of key micronutrients to the diets of the poor in South Asia, and its production and trade are important sources of livelihoods and employment for the poor. Despite its economic, cultural, and nutritional significance, the small-scale fisheries sector is facing extinction due to climate change, and policies that promote privatization of coastal resources and industrial development that increases environmental pollution. Our interdisciplinary research project, engaging natural and social scientists from South Asia and Canada, aims to map the value chain of dried fish and address various issues related to nutrition security, livelihood, and sustainability.

We invite expressions of interest for a dedicated student who will be eligible to enroll in the Master of Environmental & Social Change program at The University of Winnipeg (MEnv or MA) starting September 2024. The successful candidate will join the Dried Fish Matters team to conduct research in India (preferably in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka) to examine the challenges that threaten the sustainability of the dried fish economy and seek pro-poor policy interventions to promote sustainable production, distribution, and consumption of healthy dried fish to enhance food and nutrition security. 

Qualifications and support:

The successful candidate will have a related 4-year bachelor’s degree (e.g., Anthropology, Environmental Studies, Geography, International Development). Previous experience working or studying in India is a definite asset. The successful candidate will have a track record of academic excellence and strong English writing skills. The successful student will receive funding support for two years, plus support for direct costs of research and conference participation.

Expressions of interest can be sent to Dr. Kirit Patel (k.patel@uwinnipeg.ca), Department of Environmental Studies and Sciences. Please send your 1) CV, 2) transcripts (unofficial acceptable at this time), 3) writing sample (e.g. senior level undergraduate thesis or course project report or academic publication), and a brief statement of interest regarding your proposed research.

Forest Governance and Climate Resilience

Project Description 

The Environment & Society Research Group and Canada Research Chair in Human-Environment Interactions at The University of Winnipeg is looking for a creative student who will be eligible to enroll full-time in the Master in Environmental & Social Change program at The University of Winnipeg (MA or MEnv) starting September 2024. The successful candidate will develop a thesis project focused on forest governance models that promote increased inclusion of adaptation and mitigation strategies into how public forests are managed in Canada. The student will carry out qualitative or mixed methods research to examine how forest governance is enabling or hindering the adoption of long-term perspectives in forest management that impact climate resilience. This is an NSERC funded position.


Qualifications and Support

The successful candidate will have a 4-year bachelor’s degree (honours preferred) in a related field of study (e.g., Environmental Studies, Environmental Resource Mgt., Forestry, Geography, Indigenous Studies, Northern Studies), a track record of academic excellence, strong English writing skills, and be committed to teamwork. Experience working with Indigenous communities and/or participatory community-based research is preferred. The successful candidate will receive a competitive 2-year funding package and be eligible to access support for direct costs of research.


How to Apply
Serious applicants will email Dr. Ryan Bullock, Canada Research Chair in Human-Environment Interactions (r.bullock@uwinnipeg.ca) with the subject line “MESC - FOREST” with:

  1. an updated CV;
  2. transcript(s) (unofficial acceptable);
  3. a research writing sample (e.g., senior undergraduate thesis or course project report);
  4. and a brief statement of interest in the above-described research project, research supervisor, and the MESC program

In conjunction with The University of Winnipeg’s employment equity and diversity policy, the ESRG is committed to achieving, retaining and supporting a diverse research team and to ensuring each member has access to opportunities to develop their potential. We recognize that a diverse lab membership and equitable structures improve learning and research environments and lead to better research. We actively encourage applications from equity-deserving groups and folks who work respectively, constructively and collaboratively.  

Public Engagement and Sustainable Energy Transitions

Project Description

The Environment & Society Research Group and Canada Research Chair in Human-Environment Interactions at The University of Winnipeg have partnered with scholars and organizations across Canada through CANSTOREnergy: Seasonal storage of renewable energy - to develop renewable energy storage technologies in northern and southern Canadian climates. Canada possesses a large capacity for renewable energy sources; however, these renewable energy sources are subject to wide seasonal variations, making energy production out of sync with energy demands. Equitable, long-duration storage systems are needed to address this problem and to contribute to decarbonizing the power system in Canada. To achieve positive and equitable energy transformations, the development of energy technologies must be participatory, support community-led visions and plans, and be developed collaboratively with those that will be affected by these technologies – communities, industries, and other interests. The successful student will carry out qualitative or mixed methods research to assist this interdisciplinary research team by studying governance structures and processes to engage the public in sustainable energy transitions.  The successful student must be eligible to enroll full-time in the Master in Environmental & Social Change program at The University of Winnipeg (MA or MEnv) starting September 2024. This position is funded through the New Frontiers in Research Fund.

 

Qualifications and Support
The preferred candidate will have a 4-year bachelor’s degree (honours preferred) in a related field of study (e.g., Environmental Studies, Environmental Resource Mgt., Geography, Indigenous Studies, Northern Studies), a track record of academic excellence, strong English writing skills, and be committed to teamwork. Experience working with Indigenous communities and/or participatory community-based research is preferred. The successful candidate will receive a competitive 2-year funding package and be eligible to access support for direct costs of research.

 

How to Apply

Serious applicants will email Dr. Ryan Bullock, Canada Research Chair in Human-Environment Interactions (r.bullock@uwinnipeg.ca) with the subject line “MESC - CANSTOREnergy with:

  1. an updated CV;

  2. transcript(s) (unofficial acceptable);

  3. a research writing sample (e.g., senior undergraduate thesis or course project report); and

  4. a brief statement of interest in the above-described research project, research supervisor, and the MESC program.

In conjunction with The University of Winnipeg’s employment equity and diversity policy,

the ESRG is committed to achieving, retaining and supporting a diverse research team and to ensuring each member has access to opportunities to develop their potential. We recognize that a diverse lab membership and equitable structures improve learning and research environments and lead to better research. We actively encourage applications from equity-deserving groups and folks who work respectively, constructively and collaboratively.

Ecotoxicology (1 Position)
Modelling disturbance impacts in Arctic marine mammals

Project Description

The Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Stress Lab at the University of Winnipeg is looking for a motivated MSc student with interest and ability to work with bioenergetic models as part of the Master in Environmental & Social Change program starting September 2024. The successful candidate will develop a MSc thesis project focused on the impacts of disturbance on the health and fitness of Arctic marine mammals using existing dynamic energy budget (DEB) models. Disturbance can involve a range of single and multiple stressors, such as climate change, environmental pollution, shipping, and/or underwater noise. Recently developed bioenergetic models will be applied and adapted to suit the MSc project in order to simulate individual and population dynamics over time.

Qualifications and Support

Suitable candidates will have a 4-year bachelor’s degree (honours preferred) in environmental science and toxicology, biology, computer science, or similar fields. The project is entirely computational (model-based) and the experience and interest of the candidate should reflect an aptitude for computational biology, coding, computer modeling, individual (agent) based models, and/or statistics. Academic excellence, strong English writing skills, and commitment to teamwork are assets. The student will work alongside a Postdoctoral Research Fellow also focused on the application of marine mammal DEB models.

The successful candidate with receive a competitive 2-year funding package with direct support for professional development (e.g., conferences, publications, etc.). Students will also be encouraged to apply to internal and external funding opportunities to support their research projects.

How to apply

Serious applicants that clearly meet the above qualifications can email Dr. Jean-Pierre Desforges (j.desforges@uwinnipeg.ca) with the subject line “MESC – Marine mammal DEB” and include:

  1. An updated CV
  2. Transcripts (unofficial acceptable)
  3. Statement of interest in the research project and description of qualifications
Planetary Science (3 Positions)
Preparation for Canada's first lunar rover mission

Dr. Ed Cloutis is seeking students to complete Masters of Science theses in the following project:

  • Preparation for Canada's first lunar rover mission. This project involves spectroscopic (reflectance/Raman) analysis of lunar samples, meteorites, and terrestrial analogues, to enhance development of the rover mission and to understand the geology of the south pole region of the Moon.

Successful candidates will have a related 4-year bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and be eligible to enroll in the Master of Environmental & Social Change program at The University of Winnipeg starting September 2024.

Expressions of interest should be sent to Dr. Ed Cloutis (e.cloutis@uwinnipeg.ca), Department of Geography. Please send your (1) CV, (2) transcripts (unofficial acceptable at this time), and (3) a brief statement of interest regarding your proposed research.

Biological potential of icy bodies in the solar system

Dr. Ed Cloutis is seeking students to complete Masters of Science theses in the following projects:

  • Biological potential of icy bodies in the solar system. A number of icy bodies in the solar system (particularly asteroid Ceres, the jovian moon Europa and the saturnian moon Enceladus) may harbour subsurface oceans and conditions conducive to life. This project will involve a combination of laboratory spectroscopic studies of icy moon analogues and samples from appropriate terrestrial sites. The long term goal is to enable our participation in future missions to these bodies.

Successful candidates will have a related 4-year bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and be eligible to enroll in the Master of Environmental & Social Change program at The University of Winnipeg starting September 2024.

Expressions of interest should be sent to Dr. Ed Cloutis (e.cloutis@uwinnipeg.ca), Department of Geography. Please send your (1) CV, (2) transcripts (unofficial acceptable at this time), and (3) a brief statement of interest regarding your proposed research.

Martian astrobiology

Dr. Ed Cloutis is seeking students to complete Masters of Science theses in the following projects:

  • Martian astrobiology. This project involves spectroscopic analysis of geological samples from terrestrial Mars analogue sites to support analysis of data from the current NASA Perseverance and future ESA Rosalind Franklin mission, with a focus on the utility of Raman spectroscopy for surface investigations.

Successful candidates will have a related 4-year bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and be eligible to enroll in the Master of Environmental & Social Change program at The University of Winnipeg starting September 2024.

Expressions of interest should be sent to Dr. Ed Cloutis (e.cloutis@uwinnipeg.ca), Department of Geography. Please send your (1) CV, (2) transcripts (unofficial acceptable at this time), and (3) a brief statement of interest regarding your proposed research.

Cultural and Indigenous Geography (1 Position)
Mapping Pathways to Rocky Cree Territory

Mapping Pathways to Rocky Cree Territory

The Asiniskaw Íthiniwak (Rocky Cree) of Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation have lived in the Churchill River drainage since time immemorial, developing an intimate knowledge of the region’s watercourses, plant and animal life. This knowledge is passed to future generations through oral traditions including place naming.  Place names convey spiritual significance and tell the story of the peoples’ history and relationships. Due to centuries of incursions, many of their place names were lost – ‘mapped out’ of existence by colonial surveyors or submerged by flooding for hydro development.  The NCN community at Nelson House in northern Manitoba would now like to recover their place names, share this knowledge widely in the community, and project this knowledge outward as a statement of their territorial heritage. 

This project assists the Nelson House NCN by providing research support to their community effort of recovering place names.  It will answer the following questions:

  • What are the historical roles of place names and place naming in Rocky Cree culture and what roles do they have today?
  • What are the tools, methods, and technologies available for collecting and representing traditional Cree place names and incorporating them into geospatial systems, many of which build on the same colonial methods used to erase and re-map local Indigenous territory?
  • What tools, methods, and technologies are available to the NCN members to access land and stories now submerged by hydro development?
  • What Indigenous spatial traditions exist that can inform and aid the project underway?

Expressions of interest are welcome from potential graduate students wishing to complete a master’s thesis (M.A. or M.Env) on any or all of the topics above.  Students will work closely with community members in Nelson House and will be aligned with University of Winnipeg graduate students on a companion Rocky Cree history project.

Candidates should have a bachelor’s degree in geography, anthropology, Indigenous studies, or a related field.   Experience conducting primary/field research, working independently, or completing a major undergraduate project will be an asset. The successful student will receive funding support for two years, plus support for direct costs of research and conference participation.   All applicants must meet eligibility requirements to enroll in the Master of Environmental & Social Change program at The University of Winnipeg.

Expressions of interest can be sent to Dr. Matt Dyce (m.dyce@uwinnipeg.ca), Department of Geography.  Please include the following

  • A resume or CV
  • A transcript - unofficial is fine!
  • An expression of interest in some aspect(s) of the project

Preference will be given to Nelson House community members, Cree students, and First Nations and Indigenous students.