Published in The Chronicle Journal on March 12, 2026

By EMILY DONTSOS

A quiet threat is slowly emerging in northern Ontario’s lakes—and Lakehead PhD candidate Nathan Wilson is determined to get to the bottom of it. 

Commonly known as blue-green algae, cyanobacteria blooms are increasingly present in the region’s waters. A sign of an out-of-balance ecosystem, cyanobacteria can also produce dangerous liver and neurological toxins that put human and animal health at risk. 

But regular monitoring of the lakes has been virtually non-existent. It was believed that their cold temperatures and lack of human activity meant that they were healthy and pristine.

This assumption allowed cyanobacteria to grow unnoticed. 

That is, until now. 

Under the supervision of Dr. Robert Stewart, associate professor in geography and the environment, Wilson is working to understand what’s causing this change and what can be done to stop it.  

A Growing Body of Evidence 

Wilson first spotted cyanobacteria blooms a decade ago while sampling lake water for his Lakehead University master’s project. 

“When I saw cyanobacteria under a microscope for the first time, I realized how little monitoring is actually done in northern Ontario’s lakes,” he says. “So many unanswered questions emerged from that work, and it’s become a passion of mine to figure it out and raise awareness about this issue.” 

Wilson has spent years collecting samples from remote lakes with the support of lake associations, cottage owners, First Nations communities, and fishing groups as well as individuals who’ve contacted him after spotting blooms. 

Using environmental DNA analysis, he has been able to track changes in the presence of cyanobacteria over time. 

“Nathan’s research shows that the issue is not just about researchers becoming more aware of the problem; there is evidence that cyanobacteria actually has been steadily increasing,” says Dr. Stewart, who has been supervising Wilson’s research since his master’s project. 

Wilson’s research points to both climate change and increasing human activity as key factors in the presence of cyanobacteria. Warming temperatures have disrupted the nutrient balance, while pollution and waste have only exacerbated the problem. 

Despite this growing threat, Wilson and Dr. Stewart say governments have been slow to act. Compared to lakes in southern Ontario, which face significant challenges when it comes to pollution and the impacts of climate change, northern Ontario’s lakes are deemed less of a concern. 

“We’re still living in a system that believes these cold lakes just don’t change,” Dr. Stewart says. “Nathan’s work highlights that things are changing, and we need to invest the money, time, and political will to care for these lakes more seriously.” 

Advocating for Citizen Science and Collaboration 

Regular sampling is required to fully understand and address the presence of cyanobacteria blooms in northern Ontario lakes. But Wilson recognizes that monitoring thousands of lakes across vast distances is not feasible for government agencies. 

That’s why he’s advocating for the formal inclusion of citizen scientists in the region’s monitoring practices. 

“Right now, the government does not typically accept water samples collected by members of the public, which is a major missed opportunity,” he says. “We need accessible, low-barrier participation. Anyone concerned about the health of these lakes should be allowed to provide samples.” 

Wilson and Dr. Stewart are also calling for monitoring standards that are specific to the north and that emphasize collaboration between the government and the public. 

Most of all, Wilson wants northern Ontario residents and visitors to know the region’s lakes are not doomed. 

“Cyanobacteria is a critical threat, but it’s manageable,” he says. “We just need to recognize what’s happening and adjust how we interact with the system.”  

Nathan Wilson’s research project closely aligns with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on Good Health and Well-Being (#3), Clean Water and Sanitation (#6), Responsible Consumption and Production (#12), Climate Action (#13), and Life Below Water (#14). 

Learn more and get involved at bluegreenlabs.ca. 

Research in Action highlights the work of Lakehead University in various fields of research.

Published in The Chronicle Journal on February 20, 2026

By EMILY DONTSOS

In 2020, Dr. Pauline Sameshima received an unexpected email: A group of top HIV scientists based in the United States wanted her to join their research collaboration. 

Called the HIV Obstruction by Programmed Epigenetics (HOPE) Collaboratory, the group was working on finding a cure for HIV using a novel approach. 

Dr. Sameshima—professor and former Canada Research Chair in Arts Integrated Studies at Lakehead University—had never participated in HIV-related research. But the call represented the culmination of her work as a pioneer in the use of art, imagination, and creativity to transform learning and help people understand complex research outcomes. 

“These brilliant scientists are leading the world in HIV research. They’re getting closer to a cure rooted in the ‘block-lock-stop’ approach, which aims to permanently control the virus by making it dormant and unable to reproduce,” says Dr. Sameshima. 

“Treatment will likely be in the form of an injectable, so educating the public about what that means and where to access it is incredibly important.” 

The HOPE Collaboratory scientists were drawn to the potential of Dr. Sameshima’s work to help them develop creative strategies for reaching people at risk of, and diagnosed with, HIV/AIDS. Rooted in a research model called Parallaxic Praxis, which Dr. Sameshima developed, her approach centres on the idea that sharing information from multiple perspectives and through multiple formats enables scientific outcomes to reach more people with greater results. 

“The beautiful part about Parallaxic Praxis is that it takes into account the viewpoints of everyone involved in an issue—so the perspectives of people living with HIV are equally as important as the perspectives of the scientists developing the cure,” she says. 

From Poetry to Dance and Beyond

Members of the HOPE Collaboratory community at a book launch event for Holding HIV: Poems of HOPE in San Francisco. L to R: Dazié Grego, co-author, poet, performance artist, and HOPE Collaboratory community member; Dr. Pauline Sameshima, co-author, professor, HOPE Collaboratory Community Arts Integrated Research Lead; Dr. Patricia Defechereux, HOPE Collaboratory Community Engagement Coordinator; and Ebony Gordon, San Francisco AIDS Foundation HOPE Collaboratory liaison.

One of Dr. Sameshima’s major achievements in her work with the HOPE Collaboratory is the recent publication of Holding HIV: Poems of HOPE, a book of poetry exploring what a cure would mean for people living with HIV. 

Each poem draws on the voices and perspectives of 27 community members in San Francisco who are living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. 

Participants were asked to respond creatively to two questions: “What excites you about an HIV cure?” and “What are your fears regarding an HIV cure?” The result is a collection of raw, powerful insights that aim to build compassion, reduce stigma, and raise awareness about the necessity of a cure in the face of a volatile funding landscape for HIV research. 

“We are really proud of this book, which is widely available to the public,” says Dr. Sameshima, who notes that 2,500 copies of the book are being freely shared. “It’s been a highlight of my career, bringing research together with art and community engagement in a way that gets ideas and data out into public spaces through creative avenues.” 

Dr. Sameshima’s work extends beyond public education—she is also focused on shifting the perspectives of scientists themselves through the power of the arts. 

During her work with the HOPE Collaboratory, Dr. Sameshima designed a dance activity that represented the ‘block-lock-stop’ approach to an HIV cure. All participants were part of the research team, and many were apprehensive about dancing. 

“We used different strategies to help them feel more comfortable, which allowed them to see how this concept can be applied to public education around an HIV cure,” she says. 

“For example, they now have a better understanding of the importance of offering treatment directly in communities where people living with HIV are already accessing services—places they feel comfortable, safe, and supported.”

Dr. Sameshima’s body of work advances a number of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including #3: Good Health and Well-Being, #4: Quality Education, and #10: Reduced Inequalities.    

A Champion of Imagination in Research 

When she considers the long-term benefits of her work, Dr. Sameshima—who wrote her PhD thesis as a fictional novel to encourage more people to read it—says she hopes to demonstrate that imagination has a critical place in research. 

“If we can imagine something, that’s the first step to making it a reality,” she says. “I want to support and champion the freedom and space to imagine, especially in the context of education and research.” 

As a poet, writer, and artist in academia, she believes telling people’s stories in creative ways is crucial to building a more compassionate future. 

“Everyone’s voice matters, and bringing those voices to the forefront offers important perspectives that uplift our lives and work—not just in the sciences, but in every sector of society.” 

A book launch for Holding HIV: Poems of HOPE will take place during Lakehead’s Research and Innovation Week at Entershine Bookshop in Thunder Bay on February 24 at 7:00 pm. Dr. Sameshima is also curating an art exhibit during Research and Innovation Week from February 21 to 27. The Art Walk Tour will take place on February 24 at 4:00 pm in the CASES Building. Featuring works by community members from Lakehead, Thunder Bay, and beyond, the exhibit will showcase the power of creative practice to foster connections between people and communities. 

Research in Action highlights the work of Lakehead University in various fields of research.

Published in The Chronicle Journal on February 18, 2026

By EMILY DONTSOS

Over the course of a weekend in early October 2025, more than 75 people—knowledge holders, students, faculty members, and community members—gathered at Lakehead’s Bora Laskin Faculty of Law in downtown Thunder Bay on the traditional territory of Anemki Wajiw (Fort William) First Nation. 

Together, they spent the weekend processing a moose hide, creating jewellery from bone, rendering bear fat, engaging in storytelling, and learning about Indigenous languages. But above all, they were invited to simply be there: to drop in, share food, and be part of a community. 

For Assistant Law Professor Larissa Speak and Dr. Leigh Potvin, who organized the event, the gathering was at the heart of their latest collaborative research project to explore and practice the principles of Anishinaabe law and governance. 

In fact, the gathering itself was the research. 

Larissa Speak, left, and Dr. Leigh Potvin, right, pour poplar bud salve into jars at a hide gathering. Photo credit: Patrick Chondon, Chondon Photography

“Our deliverables are to cultivate relationships, provide opportunities for students to learn from knowledge holders, and build community,” says Dr. Potvin, an associate professor and director of Lakehead’s School of Outdoor Recreation, Parks, and Tourism. “It’s about elevating Anishinaabe ways of knowing and doing.” 

The project also provides an example of collaboration between Anishinaabe and settler researchers. Professor Speak is Anishinaabe and a member of Fort William First Nation. Dr. Potvin is a settler of French and British ancestry who also has roots in Thunder Bay.

Building Relationships as an Expression of Indigenous Law 

The October event was the second hide tanning gathering hosted by Professor Speak and Dr. Potvin as part of an ongoing research collaboration funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). 

As friends and colleagues, the two scholars share the goal of decolonizing research and education by creating opportunities for students, faculty, and community members to engage in land- and relationship-based learning—principles that are core to Anishinaabe law and governance.  

The idea took root when Professor Speak, who is also the co-director of the Faculty of Law’s Mino-waabandan Inaakonigewinan Indigenous Law and Justice Institute, began attending community hide tanning camps at Fort William First Nation and saw these principles in practice.  

“Hide tanning gatherings aren’t just cultural events; they’re expressions of Anishinaabe law and governance, which is about relationships—including with our animal relatives,” says Professor Speak. “They’re about caring for each other, for the land, and for the moose.”

Together, Professor Speak and Dr. Potvin—who is particularly interested in decolonizing outdoor recreation programs by collaborating with Indigenous partners—secured support from SSHRC to bring the power of hide tanning to the Lakehead community. 

Jean Marshall teaching with a hide. 

 Doing, Listening, and Creating Together 

The 2025 event was held at the same site as last year’s event to honour a key principle of Anishinaabe law and governance. 

“You always return to the same place to continue strengthening relationships and to make your presence known to the land,” explains Professor Speak. 

The urban location was also intentional. “We wanted to show that cities are Indigenous lands too, that Indigenous law, culture, and governance belong everywhere. We don’t only have to go to the bush to practice our laws.” 

With a moose hide offered by Jeordi Pierre, a hunter, Fort William member, land-based educator, and friend, hide-tanning activities were led by local knowledge holders and hide tanners Jean Marshall and Shelby Gagnon. The gathering was also supported by elders Charlotte Marten and Andrew Mandamin, as well as hide tanner Belmo. 

 Hide tanner, Shelby Gagnon with Speak

Participants were invited to move between different stations to engage with the hide-tanning process, sit in circle with elders, and learn through doing, listening, and creating. 

“This work is not possible without the generosity of knowledge holders. Charlotte, Andrew, Jean, Shelby, and Belmo are all so knowledgeable and they are open to sharing with everyone,” Professor Speak says. “At these gatherings, these individuals breathe life into Anishinaabe practices and traditions. Leigh and I are so happy to work with them and to have them as friends.” 

People of all ages and from all walks of life attended, including drag performer Olive Boogits, who worked on the hide-tanning process for a full day.

“It’s not something you see every day, and it was powerful, joyful, and inclusive,” Dr. Potvin says. “It was also a reflection of the fact that this resurgence in hide tanning as an expression of Anishinaabe governance is being led by women, non-binary, and queer people. It’s profoundly beautiful.”  

Elder, Charlotte Marten with Olive Boogits in drag

Fostering New Perspectives on the Path to Decolonization 

In the months ahead, the researchers will host a sharing circle to gather reflections from participants as they plan for their next gathering. They say the sharing circle will be more than just a necessary activity in their research process. 

“It’s part of the law,” says Professor Speak. “How people feel, what they experience, what they need—that all matters in Anishinaabe law and governance.” 

The researchers hope their work will ultimately inspire students and faculty alike to rethink how we learn, what we learn about, and what’s valued in higher education. 

“When we see students, knowledge holders, faculty, and community members all working together, it changes how they think about what’s possible in education,” says Professor Speak. “If we really taught from within Anishinaabe pedagogies, learning would happen in context—on the land, with many teachers—not just one person at the front of a lecture hall.” 

This ongoing research project closely aligns with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including #3: Good Health and Well-Being, #4: Quality Education, #10: Reduced Inequalities, and #12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

Last spring, when Academics Without Borders (AWB) issued a call for a volunteer to help a new Ugandan university develop a comprehensive research plan, Dr. Andrew P. Dean knew he had found the perfect match for his expertise.

As Lakehead University’s then Vice-President of Research and Innovation, Dr. Dean saw an opportunity to bridge his professional background with a long-standing interest in international development. 

“Serving in various roles at different universities, including as the Vice-President, Research and Innovation at Lakehead, taught me so much about what makes a university thrive. As my term wrapped up and I looked ahead to what’s next, I really wanted to pay that knowledge forward. This opportunity was a chance for me to use my experience to help where it’s needed most,” says Dr. Dean.

Following the application process, the University of Saint Joseph at Mbarara (USJM) selected Dr. Dean to lead the project, kickstarting a collaboration aimed at a critical milestone: gaining a full charter as an accredited university from the Higher Education Council of Uganda.

Understanding the Ugandan Context

The project began over Zoom, navigating an eight-hour time difference throughout the spring and summer of 2025. However, Dr. Dean’s Ugandan colleagues emphasized that an extended visit to the university and city would be necessary to truly understand the Ugandan context and what could be realistically achieved. 

Through the highly effective organization and support of AWB, and assistance from Lakehead University and USJM, Dr. Dean travelled to Mbarara in Southwest Uganda in October 2025. 

With Rwanda just to the south and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, the region offered a profound shift in perspective for him. 

"I crossed over the equator six times during my visit and got to understand what the rain really means in the rainforest," Dr. Dean recalls. 

Building a Plan Through Community

During his month-long residency, Dr. Dean conducted over 20 interviews and focus group sessions, engaging with students and alumni, faculty and senior administrators, and church officials and community groups. 

Beyond data collection, he integrated himself into the academic life of USJM. He delivered two guest lectures: one for over 80 undergraduate students on research opportunities—noting with a smile that, much like in Canada, students were hesitant to fill the front row—and a second for faculty titled, "Nation Building through Research."

Navigating Challenges with Optimism

The visit highlighted a stark digital and financial divide. At USJM, basics that North American institutions often take for granted—reliable internet, computer access, and even printing costs—are constant hurdles.

"The reality of what the university could afford and implement required a number of revisions to the plan," Dr. Dean notes. "What really struck me was the willingness to work hard, find alternative solutions, and remain optimistic to collectively advance this evolving university."

In Uganda, education is highly valued and viewed as a means to break the cycle of poverty. This cultural value fueled the collaborative effort to ensure the Research Plan was both ambitious and grounded in the university's fiscal reality.

A Lasting Connection

Life in Mbarara wasn't all work for Dr. Dean; the community welcomed him with a cottage and a canine companion named Simba. 

Between walks through banana plantations and sharing many meals and tea with local community members, he finalized a plan that reflects the heart of the Mbarara community. His hosts even ensured that Dr. Dean had plenty of opportunity for his favourite pastime—golf —and organized treks with mountain gorillas and golden monkeys. 

The final Research Plan was presented to the full university community at the end of October 2025. USJM is now on track to submit its application for full accreditation this spring.

Reflecting on the journey, Dr. Dean shares, "Visiting Uganda and working with the University of Saint Joseph at Mbarara on this project was incredibly fulfilling and one of the highlights of my time at Lakehead University."

The AWB Network is a consortium of Canadian post-secondary institutions that support AWB’s mission to work with higher education institutions in low and middle-income countries on capacity building initiatives to drive development and improve the quality of life in communities around the world. AWB coordinates volunteer expertise to work with colleagues at institutes of higher education on priority initiatives in academic disciplines, teaching and learning, research support, and administrative functions. Lakehead University joined the AWB Network in 2024.

By: EMILY DONTSOS

A first-of-its-kind study at Lakehead University is shedding light on mental-health challenges in the workplace—in real time. 

Through the Northwestern Ontario Workplace and Worker Health Study (NOWWHS), researchers are surveying thousands of workers across the region at workinghealth.ca. 

Every time a survey is completed, the data is automatically added to the study’s live dashboards—creating unprecedented public access to workplace mental health insights.       

Filling a critical gap in research about mental health and the workplace, NOWWHS seeks to identify exactly how workplace factors impact workers’ well-being—sector by sector—to influence meaningful change. 

“We’re seeing rising rates of mental-health challenges in northwestern Ontario workplaces. People are struggling at work, and we want to find a way to stop that,” says Dr. Vicki Kristman. She is the study’s lead and the director of Lakehead’s EPID@Work (Enhancing the Prevention of Injury and Disability at Work) Research Institute. 

Workers in Northwestern Ontario Face Unique Risk Factors 

“The nature of work here is different from southern Ontario,” says Dr. Kristman. “We have more people working in mining and forestry, for example, which can be isolating fields. And health-care workers—who represent half of our workforce—often struggle with significant understaffing and limited resources.”

Recognizing mental health as a growing challenge in northwestern Ontario workplaces, Dr. Kristman and her team launched NOWWHS in 2023 with funding from the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development. The study directly aligns with two United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being and SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. 

Over the next five to ten years, the researchers aim to recruit 6,000 participants across all sectors in the region—from mining to forestry, health care, education, and beyond. 

With funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the team is also working in close collaboration with the Nokiiwin Tribal Council to recruit at least 500 Indigenous workers to gain insights into their unique experiences and risk factors. 

Dr. Kristman says students and post-doctoral fellows have played a vital role in supporting participant recruitment efforts, data analysis, and offshoot studies exploring specific sectors and professions. 

“We have many students working as research assistants and helping with data collection. They’re also using the data we’re collecting within their dissertations,” she says. 

“I also have four PhD students on the team right now, including one who is looking into the specific issue of burnout among nurses, one who is looking at the mental-health impacts of working from home, and one interested in immigrant mental health. It’s a great opportunity to help the next generation build research skills while surfacing critical insights.” 

Findings Reveal Major Mental Health Challenges  

With 2,000 surveys completed so far, the results are already painting a powerful picture of workplace mental health in the region. 

“Almost 40% of respondents say they have been diagnosed with or received treatment for anxiety, and almost 35% for depression,” Dr. Kristman says. 

When it comes to burnout, over half of workers say they are experiencing high levels of burnout—and almost 20% say their burnout levels are extremely high. 

“One really interesting data point we’re seeing is that just 21% of workers say they feel safe sharing their thoughts and ideas about how to improve well-being in the workplace,” Dr. Kristman says. “This suggests workers may be worried about losing their jobs if they speak up, which is concerning.”  

Anyone can view the study’s real-time dashboards for mental health and workplace factors, and learn more about who is participating. 

Building a More Caring and Compassionate World 

Although the researchers are still actively recruiting participants, the real-time data emerging from NOWWHS means they’ve already started sharing insights and recommendations with employers and policymakers. 

Dr. Kristman says that based on the information emerging from the study so far, she believes many of the issues workers are facing could be improved through one simple act. 

“I think a lot of the challenges we’re seeing would resolve themselves if people just started caring more about each other,” she reflects. 

“Like so many problems in our world today, we would all be better off if we treated each other with greater care and compassion. That’s one of the central messages I hope to share through this study.” 

Are you a worker or employer in northwestern Ontario? Visit workinghealth.ca to participate in the Northwestern Ontario Workplace and Worker Health Study. Your personal information and responses will be kept confidential. 

Research in Action highlights the work of Lakehead University in various fields of research.

Outdoor recreation voluntary associations (ORVAs) play a crucial role in creating, maintaining and managing trail systems across North America. New research conducted by researchers from the University of Eastern Finland and Lakehead University highlights how climate disruption and volunteer burnout threaten the long-term sustainability of winter trail-based recreation, particularly fat biking.

Fat bikes are off-road bicycles with extra-wide tires built for soft terrain like snow and sand. Fat biking lets riders enjoy trails year-round and is quickly becoming a popular winter recreation and tourism activity both in North America and the Nordic countries. 

Published in the Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, a new study explores how fat biking has unexpectedly emerged as a climate-adaptive strategy for year-round recreation and tourism engagement, and event hosting, in Northwestern Ontario and Northeastern Minnesota. The study surveyed and interviewed fat bikers and outdoor recreation volunteers in both regions. 

“Although a relatively new sport, fat biking, like most winter recreational sports, now faces similar challenges associated with climate change-induced shifts in seasonal weather patterns, like snow accumulation, and following increasingly frequent one-off severe weather events,” says Professor Harvey Lemelin of Lakehead University’s School of Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism.

According to Dr. Lemelin, these unpredictable events strain volunteer resources, and in the absence of effective management solutions to address increased demand, infrastructure growth, and trail maintenance and grooming pressure, they directly contribute to volunteer burnout.

Research shows that while fat biking participation is growing, volunteer support lags. In interviews, volunteers reported increasing strain during heavy snow years, citing higher demands on their time, pressure to maintain trails and lack of effective volunteer recruitment and retention strategies. This is juxtaposed against the fact that, although fat bikers appreciate the work of volunteer trail groomers and event organizers, over 40 per cent of those surveyed said they were unlikely to volunteer with local ORVAs. Volunteer burnout is therefore a growing risk, and without new management strategies, climate disruption and unpredictable weather events risk overwhelming the small pool of dedicated volunteers who sustain trail networks.

The study therefore calls for ORVAs to develop seasonal trail grooming and volunteer recruitment strategies, rotate co-hosting duties for fat bike events to distribute workload, create binational or biannual events to showcase trails while reducing local volunteer strain, and implement volunteer recognition programs and succession planning to strengthen long-term sustainability.

These strategies, the authors argue, are vital to ensuring safe, well-maintained trails and the continued growth of fat biking in regions facing climate disruption.

“While based on research conducted in North America, our study’s findings have implications for regions with similar climates and comparable snowsport development and engagement histories, such as the Finnish Lakeland Region, Jämtland and Västerbotten in Sweden, and the Nordland and Troms regions of Norway,” says Postdoctoral Researcher Kelsey Johansen of the University of Eastern Finland.

“Implementing our recommendations, irrespective of where an ORVA operates, will help ensure their ability to deliver high-quality winter recreational and tourism experiences, including safe, well-groomed trails and regularly occurring events.”

This research received financial support from the UEF Water research program, which is jointly funded by the Saastamoinen Foundation, the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation, and the Olvi Foundation.

At the Lakehead University Agricultural Research Station (LUARS), Dr. Gautam Das, professor in the department of physics, is developing a low-cost, high-tech device that will help farmers apply fertilizer more effectively. 

Nitrogen is a crucial nutrient for healthy crops, which is contained in fertilizers. However, much of the available nitrogen is not absorbed by crops. It is instead lost to the atmosphere and waterways through various pathways, contributing to air and water pollution, climate change, and economic burden to farmers.

Currently, farmers lack a precise, real-time method to measure this nitrogen loss, making it a constant balancing act to apply enough fertilizer while minimizing environmental impact. To address this, Dr. Das's interdisciplinary team has developed a prototype device based on patented technology to accurately detect and measure gases such as nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), ammonia (NH3), and oxides of nitrogen released from fertilized fields. With support from industry partner Nutrien, a PhD student in Dr. Das’s research group is developing a specialized laser to be integrated into the prototype, enhancing the device’s sensitivity and accuracy. 

This new technology will provide a clear, real-time picture of nitrogen loss, enabling farmers to make smarter decisions about fertilizer use. By incorporating readily available components from the telecommunications industry, the new device is more cost-effective than current systems, making this advanced technology widely accessible to farmers in Canada and around the world. 

Dr. Das's innovation offers multiple advantages: the technology will not only help farmers increase crop yields and profits while using less fertilizer and reducing pollution, but it could also set a new industry standard for nitrogen allocation in commercial crops, benefitting the entire agricultural supply chain from fertilizer producers to distributors and agribusinesses. Additionally, the technology will provide scientists, agronomists, and policymakers with data that will help them make informed decisions on the most effective fertilizers to use in specific climates to optimize plant growth and minimize nitrogen loss. 

Lakehead University provides a powerful tool for farming communities to protect the planet while securing a stable and secure food supply. This project is funded in part by the governments of Canada and Ontario under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), a five-year, federal-provincial-territorial initiative.

Originally published in The Chronicle Journal on August 28, 2025

By EMILY DONTSOS

Dr. Amanda Diochon is digging into the relationship between soils and sustainability — and her findings hold the potential to change the way we manage forests and agriculture for a healthier future. 

An associate professor in Lakehead University’s Department of Geology, coordinator of the Water Resource Science program, and assistant dean of the Faculty of Science and Environmental Studies, Dr. Diochon says soil science is critical in a changing climate. 

“Soils are the largest reservoir of organic carbon, and they emit ten times the amount of carbon dioxide that humans do,” she says. “So knowing how they respond to changes in the climate and understanding how to better manage them is important not just in Canada, but globally.”  

With a focus on the carbon cycle, or how carbon moves between the Earth, living things, and the atmosphere, Dr. Diochon’s research examines changes to soil’s ability to store carbon and how agricultural and forest-management practices influence sustainability. 

Her work is directly aligned with a number of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including #13: Climate Action, #15: Life on Land, and #12: Responsible Consumption and Production.  

From Forest Fires to Agriculture 

In 2022, Dr. Diochon received a five-year grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to explore how events like forest fires impact the role of soil in the carbon cycle. 

“When a forest burns, the ash that’s produced makes the soil less acidic — but that change can affect how carbon is stabilized in the soil,” Dr. Diochon says. “At the same time, less acidic soils can be better for regrowth because many of the nutrients plants require to grow are more available at a near-neutral pH and the ash is also supplying nutrients.” 

Faced with these dual impacts, Dr. Diochon wanted to know whether changes to soil’s acidity because of ash persist over time — information that could help ensure forest-management practices are designed to both protect soil’s ability to store carbon and support vegetation regrowth as forest fires become more frequent. 

This work also has implications for food security — an issue of growing concern to Canadians as climate change and geopolitical tensions affect the supply of produce from other countries. 

“Reducing the acidity of soil is a good thing for crop growth, but it may not be as good for carbon storage in acidic soils, where carbon is retained through interactions with iron and aluminum — two ions that become less available as pH increases,” says Dr. Diochon. “So we’re also considering how agricultural practices can be designed to support carbon storage while strengthening food production.”

Dr. Diochon says this work taps into Indigenous worldviews that emphasize a cycle of reciprocity. 

“This includes returning organic inputs like manure to the soil instead of just taking from the soil all the time, which significantly reduces the ability of soil to store carbon,” she says.

Analyzing Soils from Coast to Coast 

In addition to her own projects, Dr. Diochon is participating in a first-of-its-kind study, funded by NSERC, to analyze soils from every type of forest in every part of Canada. 

Led by Dr. Sylvie Quideau, a professor of soil biogeochemistry at the University of Alberta, the study aims to understand how carbon is stored in different forest environments. 

Over the coming year, scientists from Vancouver Island to the Maritimes will collect soil samples from the country’s diverse forest regions — the first time such an effort has been undertaken. 

“Our goal is to learn about how soils react in a changing environment and how they’re impacted by different forest-management systems,” says Dr. Diochon, who will be collecting samples from the northwestern Ontario region. 

Students will be engaged in every aspect of the project, including fieldwork, and postdoctoral fellows from across the country will conduct in-depth analysis once all samples have been collected. 

“Our hope is to recommend forest-management practices rooted in evidence and focused on the vital role of forest soils in the fight against climate change.” 

Raising Awareness of the Vital Importance of Soils

Beyond her research, Dr. Diochon actively contributes to soil education nationally.

As a member of the Canadian Society of Soil Scientists, she has been heavily involved in raising awareness about how soils can maintain a healthy ecosystem, particularly in a changing climate.  

“People think soils are just dirt, but they’re so much more than that,” she says. “I want to encourage students to really appreciate and embrace how important they are to our daily lives.”

Research in Action highlights the work of Lakehead University in various fields of research.

Lakehead Researchers Work on the Frontlines to Reduce Barriers to Personal Identification

Originally published in the Chronicle Journal on July 5, 2025

By EMILY DONTSOS

Having a birth certificate is something most of us take for granted. But what happens if you don’t have one? 

As two Lakehead University researchers have discovered, this is a scenario faced by countless people across northwestern Ontario—and the consequences can be devastating.

“Many people can go a long time without needing a birth certificate or other ID, but when an emergency happens—like needing access to healthcare, housing, or essential services—they need it urgently. And it can be much more difficult to obtain than many people realize,” says Dr. Chris Sanders, an associate professor in the Department of Sociology. 

Ten years ago, Dr. Sanders and Dr. Kristin Burnett, a professor in the Department of Indigenous Learning, became aware of the full scope of this issue when they were asked to evaluate the Awenen Niin Identification Program being run by Kinna-aweya Legal Clinic in Thunder Bay. The program had been launched in response to the high number of low-income individuals in need of services but without the required ID.  

“From that evaluation, we found that lack of ID is much more widespread and complex than previously thought,” Dr. Burnett says. “It affects people who are unhoused, but also those who are disconnected from their families, people raised in the child welfare system, those experiencing financial barriers, and many others.” 

Wanting to explore the issue further, the two researchers successfully applied for funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and connected with the Thunder Bay ID Action Group—a coalition of grassroots and frontline service organizations working together to address lack of ID among people experiencing vulnerability. 

“It was an issue we realized we could not only investigate to better understand, but that we could actually contribute to solving,” says Dr. Sanders. 

Making a Difference through “Action Research”  

In 2019, Drs. Burnett and Sanders began actively participating in and evaluating ID clinics run by the Thunder Bay ID Action Group across northwestern Ontario. 

Their aim is to identify the key barriers to obtaining identification and put forward recommendations to Service Ontario and other government bodies to help reduce those barriers. But they’re also working day in and day out to help people access ID. 

“I like to call it ‘action research’ because we’re not just conducting conventional research; we’re working directly with people in the community to navigate the systemic barriers they face,”  Dr. Burnett says. 

Over the years, they have helped thousands of people obtain birth certificates and other forms of ID so they can access healthcare, housing, essential services, and education—work that is directly aligned with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #10, which focuses on reducing inequalities. But the obstacles they’ve encountered along the way have been numerous and complex. 

“Service Ontario can only help with typical applications where all of the necessary information is available,” Dr. Burnett says. “But individuals with complex or incomplete applications are often sent away and have to try to get help from other agencies; many people end up waiting years to get their ID sorted out.” 

Calling for Change 

With years of first-hand observations and data analysis behind them, Drs. Burnett and Sanders are now focused on pushing for systemic change.  

Their top recommendations have been compiled into a series of six calls to action—including a demand to eliminate application fees for birth certificates, which can be a critical barrier for people living in poverty. 

The two researchers are also writing a book on the issue, which will be published later this year, and they’re in the process of creating a website to share their knowledge, insights, and resources as widely as possible. 

Ultimately, they hope to share the message that reducing barriers to identification is an issue we should all care about—especially the government. 

“It means that people who have low incomes or have been marginalized will get access to the same services that everyone else is entitled to,” Dr. Sanders says. “This is something the government can do to create a more equitable society.” 

Research in Action highlights the work of Lakehead University in various fields of research.

By EMILY DONTSOS

With an unemployment rate that’s significantly lower than the provincial average, Northwestern Ontario has a lot of jobs to offer.

The problem? With a population that isn’t growing fast enough, “we actually don’t have enough people to meet our job needs,” says Dr. Kathy Sanderson, an associate professor of human resources and organizational behaviour at Lakehead University. 

Dr. Sanderson says the key to closing that gap lies in attracting newcomers to northwestern Ontario. But many employers find it difficult to retain newcomer employees, leading to a cycle of instability and uncertainty. 

Several years ago, Dr. Sanderson—who also serves as the associate director of EPID@Work, a research institute at Lakehead focused on workplace wellness—decided to tackle this challenge. 

“We started with the question, ‘How can we make sure newcomers want to stay in northwestern Ontario?’ And from there, we asked: ‘How can we make newcomers feel more welcome?’” 

Opening Doors to Welcoming and Belonging

With funding from the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development, Dr. Sanderson and an interdisciplinary team of researchers and graduate students launched a research project seeking to understand how newcomer men and women experience welcoming and belonging in the workplace. 

As a community-based study, the team worked closely with the Thunder Bay Multicultural Association and the Community Economic Development Corporation to recruit newcomer participants and receive ongoing guidance and support. 

The main finding from this study is striking. 

“We discovered that newcomers were looking for friendships within the community, to understand workplace culture and norms, and feel safe, while employers were more focused on cultural competence training and short-term integration,” Dr. Sanderson says. “This points to serious gaps that can cause newcomers to feel disconnected from their communities and workplaces.”  

Based on these initial findings, the team turned its attention to the experiences of newcomer women, who face unique barriers to labour participation and belonging. 

“Rates of labour participation and income for newcomer women lag behind both Canadian-born men and women as well as newcomer men,” Dr. Sanderson says. “We wanted to find out exactly what their experiences are and what supports they need to feel a higher degree of belonging and job security.” 

The team found that many newcomer women struggle with a lack of information—and they’re often unsure how to make lasting friendships in a Canadian context. 

“Many of their challenges relate to limited information on Canadian workplace norms and cultures, occupational health and safety standards, and human rights—many of the things that Canadian-born employees are familiar with and take for granted,” Dr. Sanderson says. 

When it comes to building relationships, newcomer women shared that while their Canadian colleagues are friendly towards them, those friendships often don’t extend beyond the workplace. 

“This can cause newcomer women to feel quite isolated,” Dr. Sanderson says. “They aren’t feeling that full sense of belonging in the community, which can make it really hard to adjust to their new life.”   

Now that this three-year study has wrapped up, the team is focused on harnessing its findings to change northwestern Ontario’s labour landscape—including the development of an online training program designed to introduce newcomer women to workplace norms and culture.

“This was one of the key recommendations that emerged from our research,” Dr. Sanderson says. “We are now seeking additional funding to create this program, which would be available to employees throughout northwestern Ontario. We’ll then evaluate its impact on workers’ sense of welcoming and belonging.” 

A New Area of Focus: The Impacts of Artificial Intelligence and Digitization 

In addition to ongoing studies related to welcoming and belonging, Dr. Sanderson has recently received funding to explore another area of critical concern for newcomer women and for the region: the emerging impacts of AI and digitization. 

“We’re already seeing that AI and digitization will first target the most precarious jobs, and most of those jobs are held by women—both newcomers and Canadian-born women alike,” she says. 

Dr. Sanderson’s new study will look at how technology is affecting employment in northwestern Ontario, and what these impacts mean for the future of the labour market and community well-being in the region. 

“Ultimately, this work relates to my original research interest—how are we going to retain people in northwestern Ontario? If technological advancement renders certain positions obsolete, our labour market will face substantial challenges.” 

Dr. Sanderson says her new project aims to identify the most vulnerable occupations and develop strategies that enable workers to enhance their adaptability. “This will help ensure they maintain viable employment alternatives in an evolving job market.” 

Building a Strong and Thriving Future 

Dr. Sanderson says that her research as a whole—which directly contributes to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including gender equality, decent work and economic growth, and reduced inequalities—aims to help northwestern Ontario communities truly thrive, today and long into the future. 

“I hope that as we enhance our capacity to ensure all employees feel valued and develop a sense of belonging, we’ll see a more stable and flourishing labour market and stronger communities,” she says. “There are many areas of recruitment and retention where I think improved approaches to welcoming could be beneficial for our region.”

Research in Action highlights the work of Lakehead University in various fields of research.