Funding announced for paid internships in sustainable energy at University of Regina

Hundreds of new internship positions have been created for students studying in ‘cleantech’ research and development at the University of Regina and other institutions.

This is possible for the newly announced four-year funding agreement from Petroleum Technology Research Centre (PTRC) and Mitacs which totals to $6.05 million dollars from 2024 to 2028.

Marziyeh Kamali, who is a post-doctoral intern with PRTC and Mitacs focused on geothermal heating, said this funding announcement is great for those going into their internships.

“This is great news,” said Kamali. “It’s going to be very great for them to do the research and not (having) to worry about the supportive funding.”

According to a release, the collaborative program will include projects in geothermal energy, blue hydrogen, CO2, capture and storage, integrated power systems incorporating AI, and the reduction of environmental impacts in hydrocarbon production.

“This new four-year collaborative funding agreement builds on the successes that PTRC and Mitacs have had since 2018, stated Ranjith Narayanasamy, the CEO and president of PTRC said in a release.

“Between now and 2028 these new funds will see an equal number of students and post-docs trained in cleantech.”

At the funding announcement event, the Saskatchewan Minister of Advanced Education Gordon Wyant said the province has been a long-term supporter of innovative energy research through PRTC and Mitacs.

“It’s very important that when we’re training people, we want people to stay here,” said Wyant. “Given the fact that Saskatchewan is leading the nation when it comes to sustainable energy. So, things like blue hydrogen, carbon capture, these are very important in terms of sustainability and energy production. So, to ensure that we have interns working in industry, it’s very important for the future of Saskatchewan.”

John Hepburn, the CEO of Mitacs, said the funding is an extension of an existing relationship as they have been working with PRTC for a number of years.

“The current agreement is for 400 internships over four years. So, it’s about 100 per year,” he said. “We have set aside these internships. We’ve judged the value of the project. And so, we can rapidly deploy the interns as they come.”