Elk River Valley Highschool Student Internship 2026
Join the Elk River Valley Research Initiative!
The Opportunity
A two week internship with the NBD Group at The University of British Columbia.
Logistics
Eligibility:
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Currently in Grade 11 or 12
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Self-Identify as Indigenous
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Enthusiasm and Interest in Science
Dates:
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Late June/Early July
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Dates are flexible according to students schedules
Accommodation:
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Accommodation will be provided
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Location is TBD
Travel:
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Travel will be covered through the internship
The Project
The project that the interns will be working on will be in relation to our research in the Elk River Valley. Samantha Burke, a Masters student in the group, will act as their mentor during their time in Vancouver. She is working on studying the dust/particulate matter from coal mining as a source of selenium pollution in the Elk River Valley.
Example Schedule
While the exact work will depend on research progress at the point of the internship here is an idea of what the time might look like:
Day 1
Safety Training and Tour
Day 2
Use Analytical Balance to Make a Standard Solution
Day 3
Learn How to do Serial Dilutions
Day 4
Run your standards on Inductive Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP MS)
Day 5
Run Environmental Samples on ICP MS
Weekend to Explore Vancouver!
Day 6
Collect Nearby Environmental Samples
Day 7
Learn about Microwave Digestion and Sample Preparation
Day 8
Run Your Collected Samples on ICP MS
Day 9
Data Analysis
Day 10
Present What You Learned!
How to Apply
Its Simple!
Send an E-mail introducing yourself with a PDF of your resume and cover letter to sdburke@chem.ubc.ca (Samantha Burke)
Application Period Extended!
Extended Deadline: February 15th 2026