ßÉßɱ¬ÁÏ

Mikayla Mitchell

Mikayla "Mikki" Mitchell is a Tlingit auntie, artist, and masters student in Indigenous Governance at UVic. Her research for her degree makes an argument for the resurgence of Alaska Native traditional governance structures through the teachings and ceremony of Northwest Coast Formline Art. This summer, she is working on Tsawout First Nation's Clam Population Assessment for Sustainable Food, Social, and Ceremonial Harvest as part of the Sustainability Scholars Program. Her focus within this project surrounds the cultural determinants of health and reliability, as well as aiding in the transfer of Traditional Ecological Knowledge for sustainable community monitoring and management of these areas.

Stanislaus Asaale

Stanislaus Asaale is a second-year PhD candidate in the College of Education at the ßÉßɱ¬ÁÏ. His research focuses on assessment practices in higher education, specifically on alternative assessment practices, and on Indigenous education, advocating for the incorporation of Indigenous knowledge, ways of knowing and being, and Indigenous assessment practices into mainstream education.

Stanislaus’s project with Sacred Earth Solar focuses on critical minerals and food sovereignty, specifically in Canada, as part of a major focus on exploring Indigenous-led pathways to sustainable and equitable climate resiliency and solutions. He will also collaborate with other scholars to create educational resources to support the curricula and training initiatives of the organization.

Amanda Qiu

Amanda Qiu is a Ph.D. student in Statistics at the ßÉßɱ¬ÁÏ (UVic). Her doctoral research focuses on developing statistical models to analyze complex environmental and biomedical data. Through the 2025 UVic Sustainability Scholars Program, she is collaborating with the City of Victoria to evaluate the effectiveness of municipal street sweeping in reducing contaminant levels in urban stormwater runoff. Assessing the influence of land use, the study analyzes street sweeping debris, catch basin contents, and outfall samples from both an industrial and a residential catchment area to assess pollutant patterns. The findings will increase the understanding of the types of contaminants removed through street sweeping and support data-driven improvements to the City’s stormwater quality enhancement efforts.

Zoe Leech

​Zoe is a first-year master's student in Environmental Studies at UVic. Her research interests center around deepening the connection between Indigenous-led marine protected areas and spirituality, as well as uplifting Indigenous Governance. 

Zhehui Yang

Zhehui Yang is a Master’s student in the Industrial Ecology program. Her research focuses on sustainability in the built environment, including cities and buildings.

Zhehui is currently working on the Circular Economy Hub Project in collaboration with the Synergy Foundation. The project supports economic diversification in forestry-impacted communities on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast that have faced recent job losses. Through research and community engagement, it aims to develop Circular Hubs that foster innovation, workforce training, and sustainable business models, with a focus on reusing and repurposing construction and demolition (C&D) waste.

Caitlin Quist

Caitlin is pursuing a Master of Public Administration. Her research focuses on the intersection between agriculture, water policy, and ecosystem stewardship.

Amy Migneault

Amy is a PhD student in the Biochemistry and Microbiology department, where she focuses on expanding upon molecular tools for cetacean (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) conservation.

Her internship is with the Tsawout First Nation, where she is working on conducting clam surveys at various locations within the Nation’s territory. Tsawout’s traditional territory has been significantly impacted by coastal developments, which has resulted in some shellfish harvesting sites to close. The goal of this internship is to assess the health of the clam populations, and to determine the viability of the beaches for traditional harvesting.

Ilse Martínez Candelas

Ilse is a PhD candidate in the School of Environmental Studies. Her research focuses on how to integrate historical data into fisheries management in Mexico.

Shukooh Goodarzi

Shukooh Goodarzi is a Master of Engineering student in Industrial Ecology within the Department of Civil Engineering at the ßÉßɱ¬ÁÏ. Her research focuses on urban sustainability, ecological connectivity, and planning.

Shukooh ’s project, "Examination of Municipal Park Connectivity and Forest Species Sustainability in North Saanich – A First Approximation," in collaboration with the Friends of North Saanich Parks, examines how the fragmentation of urban forest parks affects species distribution and biodiversity. The project involves assessing park size, condition, and connectivity through GIS analysis, ranking systems, and site visits. By identifying gaps and opportunities for habitat improvement, the research aims to provide practical recommendations for increasing forest ecosystem resilience and planning for long-term sustainability in the region. The research results will support planning efforts by local organizations and inform future conservation strategies.

Lily Charette

Lily is an MA student in the Department of Geography conducting community-based research on how Indigenous biodiversity conservation can support Indigenous rights, sovereignty, and international conservation goals.

Erza Mjekiqi

Erza Mjekiqi (she/her) is a Master of Public Administration candidate with research interests in environmental health justice, eco-justice, and supporting Indigenous sovereignty. Erza has recently developed a strong interest in working alongside Indigenous communities on issues of environmental monitoring and justice.

Ludwig Paul Cabling

Aaron Chegini

2024 Scholars

Shima Akar

Shima is a PhD candidate in mechanical engineering at the ßÉßɱ¬ÁÏ, researching the application of microfluidics in nanomedicine, specifically focusing on synthesizing liposomes for drug delivery and cosmetic applications.

Shima's internship with West Coast Environmental Law & Surfrider focuses on Researching fishing gear pollution types, sources, and supply chains in West Coast fisheries to support policy reform proposals. This project aims to address abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG or ghost gears) by analyzing beach clean-up data to identify the major debris types, exploring key actors responsible for these debris through identifying fisheries and gear types, and mapping the supply chain.  The insights gained will form the basis for policy proposals to enhance producer responsibility and advance environmental stewardship. 

Carlos Garcia

Carlos is an MBA in Sustainable Innovation candidate from Manila, Philippines. He has worked for consumer goods companies such as Monde Nissin, Unilever Philippines, GSK Singapore and now with Arla Canada.

Carlos is collaborating with the UVic Purchasing department to drive sustainable procurement initiatives by developing strategies to expand adaption of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) framework and metrics by internal stakeholders and suppliers of the University. The project is titled: UVic Sustainable Procurement Initiatives: Developing an Implementation Strategy for Supplier Code of Conduct and EcoVadis Supplier Sustainability Assessments. Looking beyond, Carlos aims to accelerate the integration of sustainable and regenerative practices into the mainstream ways of working of both public and private institutions.

Kalpana Jha

Kalpana Jha is a PHD candidate at the School of Public Administration and a graduate student fellow at Borders In Globalization (BIG). Kalpana's project with Watersheds BC, called Working for Watersheds Roadmap Development Research Project, focuses on understanding the importance of watershed restoration work within the larger Stronger BC Future Action Plan. She is focussing on identifying Effective Programs and Micro-Credentials in developing a Watershed Workforce in British Columbia. 

Mary Stuart

Mary Stuart is a first year MA student in Environmental Studies, specializing in Political Ecology. Her areas of research interest include social movement strategy, climate justice, degrowth, and ecological political economy.

Mary's project with Research for the Frontlines (R4FL) titled, Surveying resistance to extractivism in so-called Canada, aims to research and identify resistance to extractive industries across BC and the country and offer analysis and recommendations for which struggles R4FL should prioritize in offering research support.

Jonathan Simard

Jonathan Simard is a PhD student in the Law & Society Program, working for Somenos Marsh Wildlife Society. Their work examines anthropogenic and biochemical factors influencing growth and spread of an invasive aquatic plant, Myriophyllum Aquaticum (Parrot’s Feather), in Somenos Creek. The project is titled: Researching the invasive aquatic plant, Parrot's Feather, and its relationship with other native and invasive aquatic plant communities in support of the restoration of S'amunu/Somenos Creek fish habitat and access.

Sabrina Francescangeli

​Sabrina is a PhD student in the Department of Psychology at UVic. Her research interests center around understanding the connection between nature and well-being, as well as motivating pro-environmental behaviors.

Informed by her prior research experience and knowledge, she is conducting a literature review on species conservation practices used in other urban parks that could be applied at Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary, with particular interest in what can be done for equity-deserving groups. The project she is working on with Swan Lake is titled: Community-Engaged Care for Rare, Threatened and Endangered Species in an Urban Nature Park. Sabrina will produce a report that will additionally incorporate environmental psychology research on applicable strategies for promoting pro-environmental behaviors and nature engagement.

Julia Weder

Julia is pursuing a Master's of Arts in the Political Ecology stream of Environmental Studies. Her research focuses on settler responsibilities in the decolonization process on Haida Gwaii.

Julia is working on Food independence on Haida Gwaii: fostering resilient food systems through Local Foods 2 School and an All-Islands Food Strategy  where they are collaborating with Local Foods 2 School, the Skidegate Band Council, and Saahlinda Naay/Haida Gwaii Museum to develop an All-Islands Food Policy Framework and Strategic Plan. This has involved researching and creating a community food asset map and finding ways for residents of Haida Gwaii to strengthen the collective social fabric and further disentangle themselves from colonial systems. Julia sees the All-Islands Food Strategy as a key component of this disentanglement – an opportunity to gather, share, and integrate the valuable knowledge of local people into future food pathways that will enhance community resilience.

Akash Mohanty

Akash is pursuing a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering at UVic, and as a part of the Sustainability Scholars internship program, he has had the opportunity to learn sustainability skills and expand professional networks while contributing to UVic’s ambitious climate goals. The project he is working on with UVic Office of Campus Planning & Sustainability focuses on Electrifying UVic’s Fleet – Green Fleet Strategy: identify and create a Green Fleet Strategy specific to UVic's campus-owned fleet vehicles in support of the Climate & Sustainability Action Plan (CSAP).

Sabrina Guzman Skotnitsky

Sabrina Guzman Skotnitsky is a climate justice advocate, artist, researcher and youth consultant. Her graduate research in the Political Ecology Lab at UVic explores how artmaking and dialogue can help young people process climate anxiety and generate active hope. 

Sabrina is collaborating with the Community Social Planning Council on a research project entitled, Climate Equity by Design: A Collaborative Planning Internship, where she has been conducting community engagement in order to create a best practices guide to serve both the CSPC and the city of Victoria in advancing equity-driven climate adaptation.

Matt Britton

Matt Britton is a student in the Master of Public Administration program. He is working on a project to develop a conservation and restoration plan for the 20-acre forest managed by the Sandown Centre for Regenerative Agriculture in North Saanich. This project includes mapping the forest, dividing it into zones by vegetation type, conducting stakeholder interviews, identifying priority areas, and recommending actions to address conservation concerns on the site.

Liam Janke

Liam Janke is working towards a PhD in Civil Engineering. His research focuses on climate resilience in rural and remote communities.

Telling the Story of Water Quality in the Cowichan Valley: Supporting sustainable, collaborative decision-making through data review, analysis and crafting the story of watershed health throughout the years is the project that Liam has been collaborating on with the Cowichan Watershed Board. The project involves a comprehensive analysis of the past 10 years of water quality monitoring work in the region, leading to a concise report that describes water quality trends that help tell the story of the watershed's health over this time period.

Natasha Danais

Natasha is pursuing a Master's in History with a focus on the Scottish Highland Clearances and Tourism.

Natasha is leading the project Flowing Histories: Mapping the Gorge Waterway Through Time towards a Restored Future with the Gorge Waterway Action Society.This initiative focuses on creating a detailed map of the Gorge Waterway that represents ecologically and culturally significant locations. The map will document historical sites, sources of pollution, and areas of environmental degradation, while also highlighting culturally significant sites for local Indigenous Nations, public access points, key restoration sites, and the diverse local flora and fauna that are integral to the area's ecological health.