Environmental & Life Sciences

The 21st century is the Age of the Environment.  For the foreseeable future, for both scientists and society, environmental issues will only grow in importance.  These issues include water quality, sustainability, environmental contaminants, infectious diseases, and the conservation of biodiversity. In this new Age, scientific knowledge will be pivotal.  Students, graduates, and faculty in our Program are contributing to this future – because of the incisive questions we pose, the knowledge we create, and the professionals we train. 

The Environmental & Life Sciences Graduate Program (EnLS) is an interdisciplinary program offering both masters and doctoral degrees.  Students are supervised by faculty members from Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Resource Sciences, Forensic Sciences, Geography, and Psychology, as well as by scientists at the Ontario Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources & Forestry, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Health Canada, and other governmental and non-governmental organizations. There are typically 160-190 students enrolled and the program annually accepts an average of 50 students out of approximately 300 applications.

Fields of study of EnLS faculty include cell biology and genetics; ecology and conservation biology; ecosystem biogeochemistry; physical geography; stress physiology; and trace contaminant toxicology and chemistry.