The Sustainability Scholars Program is an innovative paid internship program. We match UBC graduate students with on- and off-campus sustainability partners to work on applied research projects that advance sustainability across the region. Managed by the UBC Sustainability Hub.
Apply your research skills to real-world sustainability challenges
Get paid and gain valuable professional work experience
Develop applied skills and knowledge under the guidance of a mentor
Build your professional network and enhance your career prospects

How It Works

The program is open to full-time UBC graduate students from any program or discipline. As a Sustainability Scholar, you work under the guidance of a mentor on an applied research project that supports their organization's sustainability goals.

Apply

UBC Sustainability Scholars work on applied research projects across a wide range of environmental, economic and social sustainability topics. See our list of current paid internship opportunities.

Project Library

The Scholars Project Library contains hundreds of reports, charts, tool-kits, and more, documenting the applied research produced by Scholars since 2010. A useful body of knowledge to support further research around sustainability.

Fraser Estuary Research Collaborative (FERC)

A new stream in the Sustainability Scholars Program focusing on applied research with the goal of restoring and protecting the endangered Fraser Estuary.

Partner with us

Partner organizations are essential to the UBC Sustainability Scholars Program. Partners provide work experience for UBC graduate students and benefit from their applied research.

Meet the scholars

UBC Sustainability Scholars come from all kinds of backgrounds and academic disciplines. Scholars stand out for being passionate about sustainability, having a strong work ethic, and for their applied research skills.

Fund scholars

Climate change, biodiversity loss, and growing inequality are some of the most urgent issues facing our world today. Support from donors will allow scholars to make a direct impact through organizations doing the on-the-ground work needed to address climate change and other critical sustainability challenges.

Program History

Sustainability Scholars’ projects have been helping to move the dial on sustainability across the region for over 10 years. Find out more about our history, milestones, and impact.

Project Library

As part of their goals for the upcoming Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP), the District of Squamish is looking to expand the scope of emissions being addressed to include embodied carbon. A scan of other jurisdictional action plans, as well as a review of the current CCAP and other internal documents was conducted. The research was compiled and distilled into draft actions & recommendations for tackling embodied carbon in the new plan.

Partner: District of Squamish
Funder: UBC (Environment and Climate Change Canada, Pathways Grant)
Keywords: low carbon buildings, waste management & recycling, embodied carbon, scope 3 emissions

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2024
Juan Luis Rivera Espinosa

This project investigates potential collaborative models for British Columbia to effectively create a clear demand signal for zero-emission maritime fuels. The recommendations outline BC's potential role in the transition to zero-emission maritime fuels, and actions for various stakeholder groups for the short, medium and long term. The ultimate goal of this project is to explore how BC can remain competitive in the global transtion to zero-emissions in the maritime industry.

Partner: C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group
Funder: C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group
Keywords: climate mitigation, sustainable development & green economy, maritime decarbonization

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2024
Ka Lai Or

This project involves testing and adapting an evaluation framework for City of Vancouver staff to support equity and justice in their climate action work. The latest iteration of the evaluation framework was delivered to the City for internal use only. This executive summary reviews the testing process and offers recommendations for continuing progress on the framework and supporting its implementation.

Partner: City of Vancouver
Funder: City of Vancouver & UBC
Keywords: equity, diversity, inclusion, climate action, justice, evaluation

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2024
Christian Higham

This project aims to improve equitable drinking water access in the City of Vancouver by creating a mathematical model that allows the city to calculate the number of public drinking water fountains required. The index is divided into a location-based and a population-based indicator, striving to indicate areas and locations associated with higher heat risk and propose a need-based index.

Partner: City of Vancouver
Funder: City of Vancouver & UBC
Keywords: climate adaptation, social sustainability, water 

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2024
Thais Ayres Rebello

This project identifies, discusses, and scrutinizes mechanisms for transferring property to Indigenous People in other jurisdictions to align the British Columbia Escheat Act with the BC Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (UNDRIP).  It considers the legal framework for transferring property to Indigenous People following Escheat in Ontario, Alberta, Quebec, New Zealand and Australia.

Partner: British Columbia Law Institute (BCLI)
Funder: British Columbia Law Institute (BCLI)
Keywords: equity, diversity, inclusion, land use planning, social sustainability 

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2024
Oluwaseun Fadairo

The project examines the impact of in-river gravel mining on flood control and Pacific salmon habitat by assessing how gravel extraction changes riverbed conditions and affects salmon habitat. Based on a literature review, the study aims to enhance flood resilience and sediment management in the Chilliwack/Vedder River while addressing ecological challenges. It examines nature-based solutions, like floodplain rehabilitation, to improve flood resilience and salmon habitat.

Partner: Watershed Watch Salmon Society
Funder: UBC (Sitka Foundation Grant)
Keywords: ecological systems, habitat restoration, flood Management, nature-based solutions

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2024
Suman Bhattacharyya

This project defines, inventories, and assesses Vancouver's high streets, analyzing the public realm, regional connectivity, and retail focus to guide future urban planning and design. The multidimensional findings reveal diverse high street characteristics, informing an evaluation toolkit that supports inclusive policies and enhances residents' quality of life, promoting economic and social vitality across the city.

Partner: City of Vancouver
Funder: City of Vancouver & UBC
Keywords: equity, diversity, inclusion, sustainable development & green economy, transportation 

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2024
Zhujun He

This report aims to enhance the City of New Westminster's Outdoor Cooling Strategy by providing a comprehensive condition assessment of existing drinking water fountains and misting stations, identifying priority neighborhoods for additional cooling infrastructure, and proposing specific locations for new installations and upgrades.

Partner: City of New Westminster
Funder: City of New Westminster
Keywords: climate adaptation, green infrastructure, sustainable development & green economy, water 

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2024
Feifan Yang

The City of Vernon aims to increase the uptake of home energy retrofits to reduce associated carbon emissions. However, homeowners often face challenges implementing energy retrofits, such us limited energy retrofit knowledge and difficulty accessing retrofit financial incentives. This report provides recommendations for the development of an energy retrofit toolkit to help homeowners and other interest groups understand various retrofit measures, financial incentives, and retrofit tactics.

Partner: City of Vernon  
Funder: City of Vernon
Keywords: climate mitigation, green buildings, low carbon buildings 

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2024
Haonan Zhang

This project aims to provide guidance and resources for City of Nelson staff to incorporate sustainability considerations, specifically the reduction of embodied carbon emissions, into its procurement policy and processes. It provides advice on how to get started, then guides users through the pre-purchasing, purchasing, and post-purchasing phases of procurement with checklists and appendices of resources. Finally, it provides advice on adopting a sustainable procurement policy.

Partner: City of Nelson
Funder: UBC (Environment and Climate Change Canada, Pathways Grant)
Keywords: climate mitigation, low carbon buildings, supply chain management & green procurement 

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2024
Christine Lee

This project analyzed and prioritized updates to Kamloops' policies and guidelines using a hybrid method that combined qualitative and quantitative data. Through literature review, policy evaluation, and interviews the project identified five major challenges and proposed thirteen recommendations. The findings aim to equip Kamloops with strategies to better prepare for climate-related hazards, fostering a sustainable and resilient community.

Partner: City of Kamloops
Funder: City of Kamloops
Keywords: climate adaptation, climate resilience, green infrastructure, sustainable development & green economy 

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2024
Shiyao Zhu

This research represents one of the first steps in identifying workable strategies for reducing embodied carbon emissions (ECE) in new home construction in the City of Kamloops. It examines ECE literacy levels, building material preferences, and perceptions of construction stakeholders in the city regarding ECE reduction practices and potential policies. The report concludes with proposals for advancing the objective of reducing ECE in new residences in the city.

Partner: City of Kamloops
Funder: UBC (Environment and Climate Change Canada, Pathways Grant)
Keywords: climate mitigation, green buildings, low carbon buildings, sustainable development & green economy 

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2024
David Owolabi

Lack of available labour is hindering the progress of retrofitting BC homes to increase energy efficiency. The report investigates the barriers and opportunities for workforce attraction across the following sectors: HVAC, insulation, window and door, general retrofit, energy advisors, plumbers, electricians, and renewable energy. The study includes a demographic summary, a policy and literature review, global case studies, and summarizes next steps for the Home Performance Stakeholder Council.

Partner: Home Performance Stakeholder Council Association (HSPCA)
Funder: BC Hydro
Keywords: climate adaptation, equity, diversity, inclusion, green buildings, leadership & behaviour change 

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2024
Ulziilkham Enkhbaatar

In this report, we provide a glance at the state-of-the-art in air quality communication, knowledge translation, and visualization. We then apply the gathered knowledge in a case study by proposing changes to AirMap.ca - the most-viewed webpage on Metro Vancouver's website, which is responsible for displaying real-time air quality and weather data from the Lower Fraser Valley air quality monitoring network.

Partner: Metro Vancouver
Funder: Metro Vancouver
Keywords: AQHI, mapping, air pollution, web app, mobile app 

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2024
Davi de Ferreyro Monticelli

This project involves a feasibility analysis of over 400 sites within the Capital Regional District to identify potential locations for solar photovoltaic (PV) installations. The study shortlisted 32 sites, with detailed analysis of the top 10, including hourly energy generation versus consumption, 3D solar PV design, capacity estimation, and shadow analysis. The selected sites, representing the highest energy consumers are recommended for prioritized solar PV integration and investment.

Partner: Capital Regional District (CRD)
Funder: BC Hydro
Keywords: renewable energy, solar photovoltaic

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2024
Ali Hyder

This project introduces a brand-new concept called Universal Basic Access (UBA) developed to enhance access to essential services through transportation in alignment with the vision of Transport 2050, Metro Vancouver's Regional Transportation Strategy. The report includes a review of similar concepts and case study analysis and recommends ambitious goals and actionable steps to achieve UBA in the region by addressing major accessibility barriers and gaps in TransLink's 10-year priorities.

Partner: South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority (TransLink)
Funder: TransLink
Keywords: equity, diversity, inclusion, social sustainability, transportation 

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2024
Najma Nizar

This project analyzed the lifecycle costs, operational savings, and environmental impact of transitioning the Vancouver Fire Rescue Services (VFRS) fleet to electric vehicles. Through financial modeling, case studies, and data analysis, the report provides actionable recommendations for optimizing fleet operations, highlighting cost-effectiveness and sustainability benefits.

Partner: City of Vancouver
Funder: City of Vancouver & UBC
Keywords: active transportation, climate mitigation, transportation, zero emission vehicles 

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2024
Seldon He

Road transportation is fundamental to society, yet it acounts for 40% of Vancouver's GHG emissions. This project aims to develop a framework to quantify carbon capture/reduction during the use and maintenance phase of sustainable street assets, including street trees, bike lanes, and green rainwater infrastructure (permeable pavement and rainwater tree trench). This work allows the City of Vancouver to track its progress within the street right of way in achieving 2050 net zero goals.

Partner: City of Vancouver
Funder: City of Vancouver & UBC 
Keywords: climate mitigation, green infrastructure, transportation 

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2024
Storay Otmankheil

This project evaluated whether Vancouver's green rainwater infrastructure (GRI) soils, such as structural soil and soil cells, enhance street tree canopy growth better than standard tree pits (trees grown in open grass boulevards, back boulevards, concrete pavements or cutouts). Through expert interviews, a jurisdictional scan, and city-wide tree canopy data analysis, this study recommends that Vancouver ensure continued discourse on street tree integration with GRI implementation.

Partner: City of Vancouver
Funder: City of Vancouver & UBC
Keywords: green infrastructure, urban forestry, stormwater management

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2024
Ming Cao

This report examines four case studies of commercial buildings in the Lower Mainland that have undergone deep energy retrofits, transitioning from fossil fuel-based systems to high-efficiency electric alternatives. The retrofits resulted in significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, demonstrating the feasibility and benefits of such transitions. The case studies highlight key success factors, challenges encountered, and lessons learned, providing valuable insights for building owners.

Partner: City of Vancouver
Funder: City of Vancouver & UBC
Keywords: low carbon buildings 

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2024
Kaushalkumar Upadhyaya

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