UVic Sustainability Scholars Program
Research that moves sustainability forward.
Paid graduate research internships connecting UVic students with organizations working on real-world sustainability challenges across the region.
Graduate research • Community priorities • Practical outcomes
What happens when research meets a real-world need?
Sustainability challenges rarely fit neatly within one discipline, or one organization. The Sustainability Scholars Program brings graduate students and organizations together around questions that matter, producing research, analysis and practical resources that partners can put to work.
Program at a glance
250 hours – Paid graduate research internship
Any discipline – Open to eligible UVic master's & PhD students
Partner-defined question – Research addressing a real sustainability priority
Practical outcomes – Research, analysis, tools, policy insights and recommendations
The program currently offers 250-hour paid internships to UVic graduate students from any discipline.
Many questions. Many disciplines. Shared purpose.
Sustainability takes many forms. So does the research needed to move it forward. From mapping groundwater to strengthening climate policy, from ecological monitoring to community engagement, SSP projects reflect the expertise of the Scholars and the priorities of their partners.
| Climate resilience | Marine stewardship | Circular economy |
| Ecological restoration | Indigenous-led research | Policy & planning |
| Watersheds | Food systems | Community resilience |
| Natural asset management | Zero waste | Sustainable energy |
How it works
Organizations bring a question
Partners identify a sustainability challenge that would benefit from focused research.
Graduate students bring research expertise
UVic students from across disciplines apply their academic skills and perspectives to the challenge through a paid research internship.
Research becomes something useful
Projects produce analysis, tools, recommendations, resources and other practical outcomes that can inform decisions and support action.
Two ways to get involved
Put your research skills to work on a real-world sustainability challenge while gaining paid, applied research experience.
- 250-hour paid summer internships
- Open to eligible UVic graduate students from any discipline
- Work with community, Indigenous, government, non-profit and industry partners
Bring a sustainability question or challenge to UVic and work with a graduate student to develop research that supports your organization's priorities.
- Advance sustainability priorities through graduate research
- Receive practical research and deliverables tailored to your goals
- Get support from UVic with recruitment, payroll and program administration
Research in action
Supporting sustainable clam harvest with Tsawout First Nation
2025 Sustainability Scholars Mikayla Mitchell and Amy Migneault worked with Tsawout First Nation on a clam population assessment supporting sustainable food, social and ceremonial harvest.
Watch the video to meet the team and get a glimpse of the project in action.Watch the project video
Meet the sustainability scholars
Meet the graduate students bringing their research skills, disciplinary perspectives and curiosity to sustainability challenges across the region.
2026 Sustainability Scholars
News & Stories
Sustainability Scholar Lily Charette worked with Peninsula Streams Society on a cross-municipal analysis of stormwater policy in the capital region.
Akash Mohanty is one of a dozen students driving sustainability forward on Vancouver Island through the University of Victoria’s Sustainability Scholars program. Credit: UVic Photo Services
Questions or project ideas?
Thinking about applying, proposing a project or wondering whether the Sustainability Scholars Program might be a good fit?