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From September to December 2024 I conducted a research assistance with Dr. Raquel de Castro Portes at the University of Northern British Columbia with the aim of modelling soil redistribution rates after the 2023 Lucas Lake Wildfire at a later date after the assistance. This was done at UNBC's Faculty of Environment whose academic disciplines range from geography to biology.
In my research assistance I gained experience in scouting and sampling research areas for soil samples as well as preparatory labwork. I selected sampling areas for both radionuclide sampling and bulk sampling by using GPS data, maps of the sampled area as well as hands-on pedon description. In the laboratory, I prepared samples by sieving and grinding them in anticipation of chemical analysis, then further determined bulk density and munsell chart colour. During my work, I always felt comfortable and encouraged by Dr. Raquel Portes and others in my environment. The office atmosphere was perfect.
I enjoyed being able to see some of the wilderness of British Columbia in my fieldwork. While I did not have the opportunity to see much wildlife beyond one bear, the landscape itself looks good and can be interesting. On the low end of experiences was the food provided by Agora Dining Hall at UNBC. The food kept me alive, but could be improved in terms of quality.
If a person wishes to conduct the same or a similar research assistance it is wise to start the visa process for Canada early to allow enough time for the procedures to take place. In my case it took 3 months to complete. It is necessary to speak English fluently and to have an open mind towards meeting new people.
I organised the research assistance position after having been in direct contact with Dr. Raquel de Castro Portes due to previous exchange as part of my bachelor’s thesis under Dr. Markus Egli for the subject of geochronology. It is difficult to obtain a paid internship in Canada, as such the research assistance itself was unpaid and a SEMP stipend was pursued via IAESTE. To get the position it was good to speak English fluently and due to the conditions for a working visa it is required to have the necessary funds and documentation for a visa. In terms of housing, the cheapest and easiest option is a room in the UNBC residence. It is both cheap, comfortable as a place and right on campus.
As this research assistance was coordinated directly with a professor at UNBC, no further information is available online. If you are interested in doing the same, you should contact professors locally about what they know for either local or international research assistance and internships at universities.
Andrin Müller
