Faculty of Science and Environmental Studies

About Faculty of Science and Environmental Studies

The Faculty of Science and Environmental Studies is an academic division of Lakehead University, located primarily in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, with additional academic offerings available at the university's Orillia campus. Lakehead University was established in 1965, and the Faculty operates within this public research university framework to deliver undergraduate and graduate degree programs in foundational sciences and environmental disciplines. The institution serves students seeking degrees in physical sciences, life sciences, and applied environmental management, drawing on the natural geography of Northern and Central Ontario for field study and research applications.

The Faculty encompasses a range of academic departments and schools, including Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geology, Mathematical Sciences, Physics, and Anthropology, alongside the Department of Geography and the Environment. It also houses the School of Outdoor Recreation, Parks, and Tourism, as well as interdisciplinary programs such as Environmental Studies, Environmental Sustainability, and Applied Water Science. Degree options span Bachelor of Science (BSc), Bachelor of Environmental Studies (BES), Master of Science (MSc), Master of Environmental Studies (MES), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programs. These curricula emphasize theoretical knowledge, laboratory experimentation, and practical field work.

Academic strengths of the Faculty include environmental monitoring, boreal forest ecology, natural resource management, computational science, and material science. Given its geographical location near Lake Superior and the Canadian Shield, the Faculty utilizes its surrounding terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems as outdoor laboratories. Research centers affiliated with or utilized by the division include the Lakehead University Environmental Laboratory, the Instrumentation Laboratory, the Paleo-DNA Laboratory, and the Centre for Analytical Services. These facilities house equipment for chemical analysis, genetic testing, spatial mapping, and advanced microscopic imaging.

Facilities across the Thunder Bay and Orillia campuses support both instructional and research activities. The Advanced Technology and Academic Centre (ATAC) and the CASES (Centre for Advanced Studies in Engineering and Sciences) building on the Thunder Bay campus provide modern laboratory spaces, computing infrastructure, smart classrooms, and collaborative research areas. The university library system, including the Chancellor Paterson Library, provides access to scientific databases, journals, geographic information system (GIS) resources, and archival collections necessary for advanced scientific inquiry and coursework.

Accreditation and academic standards within the Faculty align with Canadian higher education frameworks. Programs offered by the Faculty of Science and Environmental Studies are governed by the Ontario Universities' Council on Quality Assurance to maintain degree standards. Additionally, specific professional programs within the Faculty hold specialized certifications where applicable, such as professional geologist designation pathways through the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (PGO), and professional chemist pathways through the Chemical Institute of Canada.

The Faculty maintains research and education partnerships with government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and industrial sectors. Collaborations involve entities such as the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and regional mining and forestry corporations. These connections facilitate student research projects, internships, co-operative education placements, and post-graduation employment opportunities in environmental consulting, natural resource management, biotechnology, data analysis, and public policy development.

Student education within the division incorporates both independent research projects and collaborative faculty-led studies. Undergraduate students frequently participate in research projects alongside graduate students and faculty members, gaining experience in data collection, scientific writing, and statistical analysis. Graduate programs offer funding opportunities through teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and external scholarships from federal granting agencies such as the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

As a component of Lakehead University, the Faculty of Science and Environmental Studies operates under a bicameral governance system comprising the Board of Governors and the Senate. The academic administration is led by the Dean of the Faculty, who oversees department chairs, curriculum development, faculty appointments, and resource allocation. Through its integrated focus on natural sciences, applied environmental fields, and regional research, the Faculty fulfills the university's mandate to support higher education and scientific inquiry in Ontario and the broader academic community.