Living Lab | Call for Student Photographer
The SMR is seeking a dedicated and creative student photographer to document the 1st year of this interdisciplinary space that brings together art, science and community gardeners. The photographer will document the development, construction, and use of the Living Lab, as well as an associated mural project from later summer 2025 – late summer 2026.
Priority will be given to Western University students in photography, visual arts, environmental studies, or related disciplines who demonstrate an interest in collaborative, cross-disciplinary work. An honourarium ($1,200) will be provided for this project.
Applications due: July 15th, 2025
View the Call
Living Lab | Call for Student Photographer
More details about the call can be found here.
Questions?
If you have questions about the project, or require more information, please contact Natalie Scola (nscola@uwo.ca)
Want to get involved in research?
Dr. Metson is accepting research assistant applications for Fall 2025 and Winter/Summer 2026 and undergraduate honors, MSc, PhD, and Postdoc applications for Fall 2026.
When you email, please include:
What aspect of our research you are interested in (try to be specific in your interests so we can find areas of overlap)
A copy of your unofficial academic transcripts
Your CV
A writing sample
The Department of Geography and Environment at Western has an online application process, but you should get in contact with Dr. Metson before going through the portal.
Importantly, there are very few international student spots available, and current Canadian visa quotas and requirements further limit the eligibility of prospective students. International students must apply before February 1st for consideration in the program and must consult Canadian immigration rules to determine eligibility.
Current Openings
Mapping foraging risks and opportunities in and around London (MSc or PhD)
This project will be co-developed to support Indigenous food systems, with a student that has skills associated with contaminants, GIS, and/or plant and animal identification (see project page for more information).
Determining the importance of seasonal changes and management to aquatic nutrient losses from urban agriculture (PhD)
This project will use summer-fall in-situ real world garden monitoring, as well as year-round experimental monitoring, to better understand runoff and leaching losses from gardens (see project page for more information).
Quantifying greenhouse gas emissions associated with fruit and vegetable production in and around cities (MSc)
Creating life cycle assessment models for urban agriculture in Canada (PhD)
This project will collaborate with and build on field data collection in and around Toronto to build greenhouse gas emission factors that are calibrated to a Canadian context and work within a Life Cycle Assessment/Greenhouse Gas Accounting/Footprint Tool depending on the student’s capacities and interest (see project page for more information).
Name your project that intersects with our interests (any level)
Dr. Metson has funding to take on one trainee to do a more independent research topic. Ideas may include questions that intersect with environmental footprints, watershed management, sustainable futures, and systems thinking.
Dr. Metson’s Projects
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Embedding nutrients in urban climate thinking
“Over the next 5 years, my students and I will investigate how urban nutrient flows are affected by climate change and how such nutrient flows can be better managed to contribute to meeting climate and other connected sustainability priorities.”
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TOSustain
“In Canada, the potential to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) while increasing food production and access in dense and diverse population centers, strongly positions urban and peri-urban agriculture as pivotal in sustainable food systems now and into the future.“
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Planting Seeds for Urban Indigenous Food Sovereignty
“The Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre (SOAHAC) originated twenty-five years ago to offer a blend of biomedical care and traditional healing to Indigenous Peoples living in the city of London, Ontario.”
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Swedish Projects
Learn more about the various ongoing projects Dr. Metson worked on during her time in Sweden.
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Other Projects
Read about the various other projects Dr. Metson is working on.
