Undergraduate research program digs into mining industry's social and environmental impact

Five students at the University of Toronto got to dig deep into the issue of mine reclamation and rehabilitation this year as part of an undergraduate program offering hands-on research experience.

The students were all part of a research opportunities program (ROP) project focused on mining in the Americas.

They worked with Donald Kingsbury, an assistant professor, teaching stream, in the department of political science in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

“I’ve worked with the ROP for a few years now; we’ve been focusing on critical mineral mining, in particular lithium mining in South America and Quebec,” says Kingsbury, who is also at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy.

“What happens after a resource boom? What happens after a mine closes, and what happens in ecological, social and economic dimensions? We’re thinking about how communities and landscapes adapt to life after extraction.”

The program allows undergraduate students to engage with professors' research, gaining insights, skills and hands-on experience while collaborating with faculty and peers. In doing so, it embodies many aspects of advanced scholarship: field experience, in-depth analysis, networking opportunities, new friendships and most of all, the chance to make a difference in the world. Since its inception in 1995, ROP courses have covered virtually every field in the Faculty of Arts & Science, including chemistry, economics, linguistics, history and psychology.

The students, all in their third year of undergraduate study, brought a diverse range of backgrounds and interests to the mining reclamation and rehabilitation project – including one who had first-hand experience with the industry. Ireland Ryan-Bavis worked at the centre of the Canadian oil sands industry in Fort McMurray, Alta. for the past few summers.

“I’ve always been really interested in the mining sector, particularly looking at the transition to renewable energy,” says Ryan-Bavis, a member of St. Michael’s College who is pursuing a double major in political science and criminology.

“This project went way beyond my expectations. It’s also been great to share my views with others and to compare the situations in Latin America and Canada.”

Daniel Puente, also a member of St. Michael’s College, is majoring in statistics and economics.

“I wanted to try something in a different discipline and to study Latin America in an academic setting,” he says. “One thing of real value about the ROP is that it allows you to be guided by an expert. In other settings, it’s more difficult to have such direct connection with professors.”

With what she describes as a strong political and ethical commitment to Latin America, Natalia Peña says she appreciated the chance to explore community initiatives in the region.

“I’d always been passionate about the environment and political ecology through my schooling and involvement in different collectives,” says the member of New College, who’s completing a specialist program in political science with a minor in Latin American studies. “This course allowed me to extend my interests by learning about mine closures, which was fascinating.”

When Lia Iannarilli was in high school, she completed a project about environmental concerns and the fossil fuel industry in Canada.

“I was interested in pursuing the subject further and looking at the ethical and environmental issues attached to mining,” says the Victoria College member, who’s majoring in political science and English. “Examining the cultural and social aspects of political projects is something that really interests me.”

And for Lilah Williamson, a member of Trinity College who’s pursuing a double major in economics and international relations, the course was a natural extension of her long-standing interest in the environment.

“I’ve been involved in climate activism in various forms for a long time,” she says. “I was drawn to this project for two reasons: one, looking at the environmental impact of mines after they close; and two, addressing the tension between the fact that while we do need to mine metals to transition to renewable energy, that can have a devastating environmental and social impact.”

The multidisciplinary team engaged in the kind of field research that, as Kingsbury notes, isn’t usually offered to students until they reach graduate school. For example, the students interviewed politicians, engineers and community leaders and attended the annual Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada meeting, which is the largest mining conference in the world. “There, they were able to conduct participant observation, make new contacts, and interview government representatives from different countries,” Kingsbury says.

Building research skills is a core part of the undergraduate mission of the Faculty of Arts & Science, and ROP projects give students an opportunity to engage in work that is original, interdisciplinary, community-based and creative.

“Working on Professor Kingsbury’s project, I received a lot of encouragement to go beyond what was asked of me,” says Peña. “I don’t think I’d have been able to find this level of intellectual stimulation, or meet such wonderful people, without a program like this.”