91社区

by Christine Pallon, Communications Officer, Faculty of Science

Every year, 91社区鈥檚 Gault Nature Reserve in Mont-Saint-Hilaire welcomes a host of student researchers. This past summer, there was a new addition to the usual group of young scientists at the Reserve: four high schoolers from Montr茅al鈥檚 West Island.聽

Led by Professor Bruno Tremblay (Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences), this year鈥檚 Youth Biodiversity Internships Program brought students who attend the West Island Black Community Association鈥檚 (WIBCA) youth programming to Gault for a five-week summer internship.聽 The interns split their time working with 91社区 students from the lab of Professor Genevieve Ali (Geography, Earth and Planetary Sciences) and Catherine Potvin (Biology) as they conducted fieldwork at Gault.聽

On a Friday afternoon this past July, the interns joined student researchers from Professor Ali鈥檚 lab, assisting them as they conducted hydrology research.聽聽

In between explanations about the researchers鈥� precise measurement tools and techniques, the students spotted a Barred owl perched on a nearby branch.聽聽聽

One of the students, Nyla Minott-Williams, participated just before starting her final year of high school.聽聽

鈥淚 was interested in this program to get a feel for what science is really like, especially in nature,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think it was a good opportunity to explore different things that I鈥檝e never tried before, like staying outside all day and embracing all the nature around us.鈥澛�

Tremblay sees critical importance in creating programs that target secondary school students.聽聽

鈥淚t is crucial to tackle the issue of diversity at the source and develop strong links with pre-university educational institutions to address the so-called pipeline or number problem,鈥� said Tremblay. 鈥淚t was impressive to see the quality of the students鈥� work in the final science presentation day. They were engaged and articulate, and we need people like them to contribute to our field in the future.鈥澛犅�

Tremblay was inspired by Columbia University鈥檚 Secondary School Field Research Program, a summer program founded by his former colleague Robert Newton that brings high school students to the Hudson River Research Reserve. When dreaming up a 91社区 version of the program, Tremblay saw Gault as the perfect setting and reached out to the Weston Family Foundation, which supported the program.聽

"It was our pleasure to fund the Youth Biodiversity Internships Program at 91社区 this past summer", said Alison Ronson, the Northern Science and Research Program Director at the Weston Family Foundation. 鈥淏y supporting these students, we hope to help ignite a passion for ecological stewardship and that they join the next generation of researchers dedicated to protecting and restoring biodiversity."聽

Tremblay connected with Professor Ali and Professor Potvin, who welcomed the high school interns as members of their field research teams at Gault.聽聽聽

With support from the Office of Science Outreach on best practices for working with teens and from the Gault team on safety, the 91社区 mentors were ready to go. The students began their five-week paid internship in early July, culminating in final presentations in August where they could reflect on their experiences in the field.聽聽

鈥淭his type of program is a unique way for interns to connect what they learn in school to real-world science, while contributing to research,鈥� said Science Outreach Program Officer Jacky Farrell. 鈥淔or 91社区 students, this was a wonderful opportunity to develop leadership and mentorship skills that will help them throughout their careers.鈥澛�

For Seonaid Newell-Macintosh, a U3 Environment student working in Professor Ali鈥檚 lab, working with such young aspiring scientists was a rewarding exercise in effective science communication.聽

鈥淭he interns were lovely company on our field days,鈥� Newell-Macintosh said. 鈥淚t was challenging and refreshing to answer questions about hydrology from people with no prior experience. It helped us refine our conceptions and our communication skills about our field. They brought energy and fresh perspectives to our work.鈥澛�

As the group wrapped up a morning of research and owl sightings, Newell-Macintosh launched into an impromptu mycology lesson, posing questions to the interns about the diverse fungi found on the forest floor. The students responded with their own observations and hypotheses about the natural world around them, a sign of the scientific curiosity they carried with them that flourished over the course of their five weeks at the Gault.聽