Indigenous Undergraduate Summer Research Assistant in the UVic Centre for Forest Biology

Indigenous Undergraduate Summer Research Assistant in the UVic Centre for Forest Biology

Application Deadline February 27th, 2026

Self-identified Indigenous students are invited to apply for an exciting opportunity to get research experience in plant science in the Centre for Forest Biology. One research position is available for an Indigenous student (First Nations, Metis, Inuit, or from outside Canada, e.g. North, Central, and South America, Pacific islands) currently registered at the University of Victoria and studying for a Bachelor of Science. The position will involve field studies and/or lab studies (see projects below). Training to achieve Biosafety and WHMIS certification will also be provided. A cover letter highlighting Indigenous ancestry and any previous research experience is requested. The cover letter should also include a statement on why the applicant is interested in a particular project and forest biology in general. No previous experience in biological lab or fieldwork is required. Please indicate your first and second choice for your summer project.

Projects currently available (Principal Investigator in brackets):

  1. Douglas-fir resilience to expanding fungal diseases (Jürgen Ehlting)
  2. Ecology of bark beetle parasites and commensals. (Steve Perlman)
  3. Identifying insect vectors of tree disease. (Steve Perlman)
  4. Molecular analysis of gene-edited poplar trees. (C. Peter Constabel)
  5. Developing a catalogue of native tree species on campus and their sociocultural significance (Jürgen Ehlting/Terri Lacourse)

It is also possible to combine one of these projects with part-time work with the plant collection in the UVic Herbarium. Applicants interested in working in the Herbarium should express this interest in their cover letter. If you have questions about this opportunity, contact Dr. Terri Lacourse (tlacours@uvic.ca)  for more information.Alternative projects and arrangements, for example co-supervised projects, are possible. Please inquire with any Centre for Forest Biology faculty member to discuss options.The assistantship is $19.56/hour for full time work during the summer term (typically 15 weeks), beginning early May 2025.Please direct your inquiries or send a CV/resumé, your cover letter, and unofficial transcripts to the Director, Jürgen Ehlting at je@uvic.ca and copy aroszmann@uvic.ca. You can also ask questions about each project and how to apply to the principal investigator directly (see Forest Biology website for contact info: https://www.uvic.ca/research/centres/forestbiology/people/members/index.php).