Undergraduate Research
Research Oppurtunities:
The faculty in the Environmental Science and Studies (ESS) department is genuinely passionate about providing diverse and flexible opportunities for undergraduate students to engage in meaningful environmental research. We understand that each student has unique interests, degree programs, and varying time commitments, and we are here to support you in finding the right path. Whether you're considering work-study programs, honours thesis projects, directed studies courses, or research assistant (RA) positions, there's a place for you to contribute.
Search below through the research activities of different ESS faculty to identify potential areas of interest and reach out to get more information about specific opportunities!
Dr. Srimathie Indraratne, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Soil Health Recovery in Metal-Impacted Environments
Undergraduate students will gain hands-on experience investigating potentially toxic metal-contaminated soils, identifying sources of contamination, and exploring remediation strategies using organic and inorganic soil amendments—an excellent opportunity to build research skills and contribute to real-world environmental solutions.
For more information about research opportunity availability, please contact Dr. Srimathie Indraratne via email at s.indraratne@uwinnipeg.ca.
Dr. Jean-Pierre Desforges, Assistant Professor
Research Focus: Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Stress
Undergraduate students can gain hands-on training in the field, in the lab, or through ecological modelling to address important research questions related to pollution and health. We work with marine mammals in the Arctic, cell and fish models in the lab, environmental samples near and far, and various bioenergetic models for wildlife species. So, whether you're interested in molecular and cell biology, environmental chemistry, or population ecology, please get in touch with Desforges lab.
For more information about research opportunity availability, please contact Dr. Jean-Pierre Desforges via email at j.desforges@uwinnipeg.ca or visit their website
Dr. Darshani Kumaragamage, Professor
Research Focus: Sustainable Soil Management
The focus of our research is on sustainable soil management to enhance crop productivity while minimizing the negative environmental impacts. In particular, we are interested in mitigating nutrient losses from agricultural lands to waterbodies such as Lake Winnipeg. In collaboration with researchers from federal and provincial governments and non-profit organizations, we are exploring how soil amendments can be used to reduce phosphorus loss from soils to waterways. The ultimate goal is to help protect Canada’s water resources from excessive nutrients without compromising food security.
For more information about research opportunity availability, please contact Dr. Darshani Kumaragamage via email at d.kumaragamage@uwinnipeg.ca