IISD Experimental Lakes Area Graduate Research Fellowship for Students at the University of Manitoba

IIISD Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) is one of the world’s most influential freshwater research facilities. It features a collection of 58 small lakes and their watersheds in northwestern Ontario, Canada. For over 50 years, scientists at IISD-ELA have conducted whole-ecosystem experiments and made significant scientific discoveries related to issues such as acid rain, mercury from air pollution, algal blooms, and pharmaceutical chemicals in water. The facility is operated by the International Institute for Sustainable Development—an independent think tank headquartered in Winnipeg on Treaty 1 territory, the traditional land of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Ojibwe-Cree, Dakota, and Dene Peoples, and homeland of the Métis Nation.

IISD-ELA acknowledges that its research facility is located on Treaty 3 lands, and the care of these lands during experimentation and restoration to their original state is implicit in its mission. Many regional schools come to the facility to learn more about the science of aquatic ecosystems and how humans serve a role in sharing and working with one another to protect these resources.

About the Position

Several hundred students have completed graduate theses based on research at the IISD-ELA, and we continue to welcome new researchers by offering a fellowship for graduate students enrolled at the University of Manitoba. These fellowships can be used to provide stipend support, cover the costs of IISD-ELA facility fees, or both. Facility fees cover housing, meals, laboratory space, and field equipment while working at the IISD-ELA field station.

Qualifications

Applicants for the IISD-ELA Fellowship must be students at the University of Manitoba and must provide the following information:

• student number
• degree sought and the name and department of the academic supervisor
• the objectives, design, and a summary of methods to be used in the research (maximum one page)
• a summary of the relevance for society of the proposed research and why it should be undertaken at IISD-ELA
• total number of days requiring facility fee support and justification
• stipend request and period to be covered by the stipend
• a list of external sources of financial support currently held or applied for by the applicant
• an up-to-date transcript
• two letters of reference in support of the application, including the student’s supervisor

Students may hold an IISD-ELA Fellowship in conjunction with other fellowships. The selection committee may choose to provide funds to meet some or all of an applicant’s requests.

Students must attend the University of Manitoba during the Fellowship’s tenure, and applicants must have a minimum grade point average of 3.5. Applications will be judged on academic excellence, the quality of the proposed research, and the relevance of the proposed research to the IISD-ELA program. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Awards will be made annually. Repeat applicants are encouraged and need only provide a brief written summary of research previously supported by the IISD-ELA Graduate Fellowship Fund, an updated transcript, and a letter of support from their academic supervisor.

Work Conditions

Accommodations include a shared bedroom, shared washrooms, and lounge areas. Bed linens and laundry facilities are provided on-site. Transportation to and from the field research station to Kenora and Winnipeg will be available on weekends. Occasional weekend transportation to and from Thunder Bay is a possibility as well. More information about the IISD Experimental Lakes Area organization and our research facility can be found at https://www.iisd.org/ela/.

For more information about the IISD-ELA Graduate Fellowship, please contact Michael Paterson at mpaterson@iisd-ela.org.

Applications must be submitted by March 11, 2024.

Application Procedure

All submissions must be in English. Accommodations for job applicants with disabilities are available on request.

Applications will only be accepted through Bamboo HR. Please include the following:

• a CV (no longer than two pages)
• a cover letter (one page)
• including all required documents requested above
• IISD Voluntary Self-Identification Questionnaire (optional; right-click to download)

We thank all candidates for their interest; however, only candidates advancing in the recruitment process will be contacted. Resumes will be kept on file for 1 year.

IISD is committed to fostering a more equitable and sustainable world and welcomes candidates who uphold our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition, to correct the conditions of social injustice and disadvantage in employment around the world, we encourage candidates from historically marginalized groups, including women, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, and those who identify themselves as 2SLGBTQIA+, to apply for this position. We offer reasonable accommodations in our recruitment process and seek applicants' advice on how best to accommodate their needs. Please self-identify and answer our employment equity questionnaire on our applicant tracking system when you apply.

IISD does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, caste, ethnicity, religion, colour, disability, marital status, pregnancy, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.

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Keywords

graduate researchfellowshipUniversity of Manitobafreshwater researchwhole-ecosystem experimentsstipend supportfacility feeshousingmealslaboratory spacefield equipmentacademic excellenceshared bedroomshared washroomslounge areastransportationThunder Bayresearch facility