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Faculty of Environment

Garima Lakhanpal, PhD in Earth Sciences

Garima Lakhanpal will be travelling to Ireland for five months from March 2024 to August 2024 to partake in a collaborative project between Teagasc Research Centre and the University of Waterloo. This project will focus on fieldwork at two main sites located in Teagasc Research Centre and include conducting field experiments, collecting data, and performing lab analysis at the proposed study sites. Garima will be working closely with her advisor Dr. Owen Fenton, who is based in Johnstown Castle, in Teagasc Research Centre, and his team based out of Ireland.

Katie Pita, PhD in Environment, Resources and Sustainability

Katie is a PhD Candidate in the School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability in the Faculty of Environment. She is currently researching historical ecology; more specifically, how traditional woodland management strategies can sustainably benefit people today. Supervised by Professor Andrew Trant, Katie researches the ancient woodlands of Herstmonceux Castle Estate, UK, and how historic regimes of coppicing increases biodiversity and carbon storage.

Mikayla MacIntyre, MA in Global Governance

Mikayla is a master’s student at Balsillie School of International Affairs, University of Waterloo in Global Governance. She will be travelling to Konstanz, Germany to work on her major research paper which focuses on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada. Mikayla has previously done similar travel to Ghana, where she learned the importance of cultural exchange, adaptability, and interpersonal skills. Mikayla hopes that this academic exchange will be a practical experience where she can learn more about future international employment, plus learn some German!

Timothy Crincoli, MA in Development Practice

Timothy is a master's student in Development Practice and will be travelling to France for a work placement with the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD). Timothy will be working on the Science and Technology Policy 2025, more specifically he will be working on policies for sustainable transitions across all OECD countries. He hopes to learn more about policy analysis, evaluation, and development as he is passionate about creating stronger institutions and governance structures that can create a more sustainable world.

Natasha Tang Kai - School of Planning

Natasha Tang Kai

Natasha Tang Kai, a PhD graduate from the School of Planning, understands that advancing environmental sustainability takes a balance of both practice and scholarship. “Our planet is in peril, I want to use my knowledge and experience to effect change in all the ways I possibly can.”

Cynthia Musah, PhD in Geography

Cynthia Musah will be travelling to Uganda and Kenya to kickstart her international research project on women’s empowerment and health in low- and middle-income countries, in both rural and urban communities. This research project, part of the larger Women’s Rise program, prompts Cynthia to work towards developing a culturally sensitive understanding of, and thus advocacy of, women’s health-related needs in low- and middle-income countries.

Nilushika Gamage, Master's in Sustainability Management

Nilushika will be conducting an in-depth field analysis of one of the marine protected areas in Sri Lanka to support her master’s thesis. Her research focuses on enabling a transition from vulnerability to viability of small-scale fisheries within marine protected areas. Obtaining firsthand field experience will allow Nilushika to gain practical knowledge, develop essential skills, and establish a solid foundation for professional growth towards a career as a researcher. 

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Ruyel Miah, PhD student in Sustainable Management

Travelling to India and Bangladesh, Ruyel will research complex small-scale fisheries' social-ecological systems. He will interact with the fisheries there and observe the situation of their communities to better understand the vulnerabilities that they face and assess the ways to address these vulnerabilities. His research focuses on why small-scale fishers experience a lack of human rights, justice, and dignity and why they are left unprotected against external influences.

Navya Vikraman Nair, PhD student in the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development

Navya has travelled to India to investigate the socio-ecological factors that influence the sustainability of local fishing communities and the implications for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services of wetlands. She analyzed the resilience of the ecosystem through habitat degradation, water pollution, and overexploitation. Navya’s research will contribute to fostering collaborations between the hosting institution, local organizations, and academic communities and promote cross-cultural understanding.

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