Mitacs Globalink Research Internship (GRI) participant, James, reflects on his GRI placement at Concordia University, Canada.
I’m James Manson, and from June to August 2025 I spent a great three months living in Montreal, Quebec, undertaking research at Concordia University. As a holder of dual citizenship (United Kingdom and Canada) it was great to spend an extended period of time within a country I had only previously visited to see family and to explore what Quebec had to offer.
Living in Canada
Montreal is a vibrant city with many sporting and musical events across the summer. My personal favourite was the Jazz festival held in downtown Montreal and free to attend. I also attended the WTA 500 Montreal Open which offered some great tennis easily accessible by the metro system.
I am an avid runner which gave me a great way to explore all that the city had to offer. There are many great places to run within the city, but my favourite is Mount Royal which offers stunning views of downtown, the St Lawrence River, and a green space only minutes from the city centre. The park also offers great views of the international firework festival which takes place across the summer. The Lachine Canal is another place I enjoyed running along within the city, and topped off by browsing the Attwater Market afterwards. I also attended Mount Royal Run Club a few times over the summer which gave me a great opportunity to meet residents of Montreal.
The food scene within the city is amazing and offers a wide range of cuisine which I was able to sample over my three months within Montreal. A personal favourite of mine was Schwartz’s which for nearly 100 years has served smoked meat sandwiches. There are many great spots within the city to sample poutine which is a Quebec speciality and a must-try. The bagels within the city are also a real highlight, my favourite being St-Viateur.
Smoked meat sandwich and chips at Schwartz’s
Life in the lab
I undertook analysis of a sediment core taken from a lake within Quebec to reconstruct when forest fires occurred historically. This was fascinating work and acted as a bridge between the internship and my geography degree at Durham University as I was able to use my research within my undergraduate dissertation. Working in a laboratory was a highly rewarding experience and gave me the opportunity to connect and collaborate with other students and researchers within the Geography, Planning, and Environment Department at Concordia University.
Research gave me the opportunity to develop my independent working skills as I worked through samples in an orderly manner. Regular contact with my professor, Jeannine Marie St-Jacques, and students working under her ensured that work was completed by deadlines whilst following the safety standards of the lab and the analysis methodology. I thoroughly enjoyed being at the cutting edge of future research, an opportunity not usually available during an undergraduate degree but made possible through the internship.
What’s next
After graduating in July 2026, I will be entering the world of work as a hydrologist for a groundwater consultancy within County Durham, UK. The internship gave me invaluable experience which I was able to talk about within interviews and employers highly valued. I look back at my Globalink Research Internship as one of the highlights of my degree and which has shaped me as a person. If I had to pick one highlight from my internship it would be meeting friends, also on Mitacs internships in Montreal, who made the experience even more enjoyable.
To those debating whether to apply, I would say go for it, you have nothing to lose! You will have the time of your life if successful in your application.
Student applications for the Mitacs GRI 2027 programme are open from 5 August to 16 September. Students nominated by participating institutions can apply via the application form.