B.Sc. Summer Internships

An artistic representation of a variety of exoplanets. (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)
An artistic representation of a variety of exoplanets. (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

OPEN Competition : 2025 Trottier Research Grants and Instrumentation Grant for summer internships at IREx

Deadline: December 18, 2024

Visit the dedicated page to learn how to apply

The Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets (IREx), affiliated with the Department of Physics of the Université de Montréal (UdeM), offers summer internships for undergraduate students from Canadian universities each year. Our program of excellence has included the Trottier Research Grants since 2015, the Sureau Science Communication Grant since 2022 and, a new addition this year, the Instrumentation Grant. In addition, every year, other internships are offered by members of our team and paid out of their own research funds.

The summer internships last 4 months (May to August). They are a unique opportunity for students at the undergraduate level to join IREx’s dynamic team and to get involved in cutting-edge research in astrophysics, instrumentation development, or science communication. Interns will be able to actively participate in breakthrough scientific, engineering and outreach programs linked to exoplanets and related topics.

To learn more about our interns, their projects, and their experience with us, take at the stories of students who joined us in the last few years (2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019). You can also see 2024 Interns interviews on our Instagram account and the 2023 Interns Interview video series on YouTube.

 

Trottier Research Grants – 2025 Announcement

This award is named in honor of the Trottier Family Foundation, which supports this summer internship program as well as a large portion of the research and education activities of our Institute.

Two interns working on their research project. Credit: S.-M.-F. Gravel Depalle.

Each year, the Trottier Research Excellence Grants are offered to five or six outstanding candidates to conduct scientific research at IREx, supervised by our professors and their teams.

The projects on offer cover a range of topics related to the search for and characterization of exoplanets and exploit data obtained at space (K2, TESS, JWST) and ground-based (OMM, CFHT, Gemini, La Silla) observatories using different techniques (velocimetry, transit, eclipse and transit spectroscopy, direct imaging). Projects are also offered in related fields of astrophysics, such as the search for companions and isolated low-mass objects, the identification of young stars that are potential hosts for exoplanets, or the study of stellar activity that has an impact on planet detection. More details on the scientific programs of IREx are available on the Institute’s website. 

Grant Amount: This scholarship can be combined with an NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA):

  • NSERC scholarship holders receive $ 10,000 ($4000 from IREx and $6000 from NSERC).
  • Non-NSERC scholarship holders receive a minimum total amount of $9000 ($6000 from IREx and at least $3000 from their supervisor).

Location: The internships take place on-site (or in a hybrid on-site + remote working mode) in Montreal, at the Université de Montréal (Professors Björn Benneke, René Doyon, David Lafrenière), at UdeM and Planétarium de Montréal (Adjunct Professor Jonathan Gagné) or at McGill University (Professor Nicolas Cowan); or in Sherbrooke, at Bishop’s University (Professor Jason Rowe). Most summers, one intern is offered the possibility to work at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope for a few weeks, on the Big Island of Hawai’i in the United States. Unfortunately, this will not be the case in 2025.

Interns generally can participate in one observing trip at the Observatoire du Mont-Mégantic during the summer, condition permitting.

Eligibility requirements: To be eligible, applicants must be registered in a Canadian university* in a program leading to a bachelor’s degree in physics, astronomy or a related field.

*Please note! To be eligible, candidates 

  • must be registered at the university in the winter session preceding their internship (undergraduate) AND
  • must register for the fall session following their internship (undergraduate or graduate).

 

 

Sureau Science Communication Grant – not offered in 2025, two will be offered in 2026

This fellowship is named in honour of Philippe Sureau, who sponsors this grant and whose generous donations and guidance have helped shape the IREx communications strategy.

The Institute has a vibrant education and public outreach (EPO) program with several initiatives led by professional science communicators with the support of IREx researchers. We believe in training the next generation of scientists not only to be better researchers, but also better communicators.

Many educational activities are organised during the summer. Credit: M-E Naud.

Since 2022, the Sureau Science Communication Grant has thus been awarded annually to an outstanding candidate to work on projects related to science communication.

Our education and outreach program includes public talks and events, as well as visits to schools, camps, libraries, and astronomy clubs. We leverage a number of communication channels: podcasts, live broadcasts, educational videos, blogs, social media, traditional media, etc. Our website (“Public Outreach” tab) and our YouTube channel feature a number of our projects, and we are always looking to expand our reach and explore new formats!  Our Sureau intern may gain skills in communications, public speaking, event organising, social media management, scientific writing, and much more.

Note: To enable our interns to work in teams, the grant will not be offered in 2025, and from 2026 onwards, two grants will be offered every two years.

Grant Amount: The selected candidate receives a $9000 scholarship.

Location: The internship takes place at the Université de Montréal with the IREx communications team, under the supervision of Nathalie Ouellette. The intern can generally participate in one or more observation missions at the Observatoire du Mont-Mégantic during the summer.

Eligibility requirements: To be eligible, applicants must be registered at a Canadian university*. Preference will be given to students enrolled in a degree program in physics, astronomy or a related field, but we also welcome applications from students in journalism, communications, education or a related field.

*Please note! To be eligible, candidates 

  • must be registered at the university in the winter session preceding their internship (undergraduate) AND
  • must register for the fall session following their internship (undergraduate or graduate).

Instrumentation Grant – new in 2025!

The telescope at the Mont-Mégantic Observatory is one of the places where the intern will be working. Credit: J. St-Antoine.

IREx and the Mont-Mégantic Observatory (OMM) have a major astronomical instrumentation development program. The OMM’s Laboratoire d’astrophysique expérimental (LAE) designs and builds astronomical instruments for the OMM and for observatories around the world. The Instrumentation Grant is awarded to an exceptional candidate to work on several projects related to the design and construction of astronomical instruments dedicated to various observatories. The ‘Instrumentation’ section of our website gives more information on some of the current projects.

Amount: The successful candidate will receive a $9,000 bursary.

Location: The internships take place on-site (or in a hybrid on-site + remote working mode) at the Université de Montréal with the OMM/IREx instrumentation team, under the supervision of René Doyon. The intern will also be expected to participate in one or more technical and observational mission(s) at the Mont-Mégantic Observatory during the summer.

Eligibility requirements: To be eligible, applicants must be registered in a Canadian university* in a program leading to program leading to a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, software engineering, engineering physics, physics, astronomy or a related field.

*Please note! To be eligible, candidates 

  • must be registered at the university in the winter session preceding their internship (undergraduate) AND
  • must register for the fall session following their internship (undergraduate or graduate).

 

Other internships

In addition to the Grants, other internships are offered every year by members of our team and paid out of their research funds. The same eligibility requirements apply. By submitting your application for a Trottier Grant, you allow our professors and their team to consider your file for these internships as well.

 

Open Competition: 2025 Trottier Research Grant and Instrumentation Grant Competitions for IREx Summer Students

Deadline: December 18, 2024, 11:59 PM EST.

To apply for a Trottier Grant, an Instrumentation Grant, please go to the dedicated page. 

Contact Marie-Eve Naud at marie-eve.naud@umontreal.ca if you have any questions.

 

About the IREx

IREx consists of a growing team of about 60 people working on a variety of observational, theoretical and instrumental projects related to the study of exoplanets and other related fields of astrophysics. They work within several research institutions located in Quebec, Canada (Université de Montréal, McGill University, Bishop’s University, Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium of Space for Life, Université Laval). Our professors, researchers, and students are actively involved in large international projects related to the detection and characterisation of exoplanets, notably the James Webb Space Telescope, the SPIRou and NIRPS spectrographs, and have privileged access to time and data from these instruments.

IREx has also a vibrant science education and outreach program led by astrophysicists who are seasoned science communicators. We believe in the importance of training scientists who have exceptional scientific research skills, but also outstanding communication skills. All of our members are involved in bringing science to a wide audience in a variety of ways.

IREx advocates for diversity, inclusion and employment equity. We strongly encourage applications from women, visible and ethnic minorities, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities to apply. With the support of our EDI committee, we are committed to the professional integration of people from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in the physics research community.

 

If you have any questions about IREx, the Trottier Excellence Grants, the Sureau Grant or the Instrumentation Grant, please contact Marie-Eve Naud, marie-eve.naud@umontreal.ca.