Milla Touzo Le Floch

My name is Milla, and I am a student at the University of Lorraine in France, where I am currently completing a University Diploma in Research in Environment. This one-year program serves as a bridge between a Master’s degree and a PhD, providing students with advanced research experience and preparing them for doctoral studies.

As part of my academic training, I had the opportunity to complete a four-month research internship through the PermaIntern/SEDNA program at the University of Sherbrooke (UdeS), from February to May 2026. I worked under the supervision of Professor Frédéric Bouchard in the Department of Applied Geomatics. This experience allowed me to develop practical research skills while working within an interdisciplinary team studying environmental change in Arctic and sub-Arctic environments.

During my internship, I had the opportunity to collaborate with PhD students from the GRIMP (Groupe de recherche interdisciplinaire sur les milieux polaires) on several research projects. One of the projects I contributed to was conducted with Lucile Rodrigues Moreira, whose study site is located near Churchill, in Wapusk National Park, within the Hudson Bay Lowlands. Her research focuses on the recent drying of lakes in the region and its consequences for surrounding terrestrial ecosystems.

As part of this project, I conducted several laboratory analyses on sediment core samples. I performed carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur (CNS) analyses using an elemental analyzer to characterize the elemental composition of the samples. I also conducted X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses to investigate their geochemical composition, as well as loss-on-ignition analyses to determine their organic matter and carbonate contents through thermal treatment in a furnace. These laboratory techniques allowed me to gain valuable hands-on experience in environmental and paleoclimatic research.

I also had the opportunity to work with Loek Pascaud on a project focused on permafrost degradation and landscape evolution. His study site is located in Cambridge Bay, on southern Victoria Island in the central Canadian Arctic. My work involved analyzing Retrogressive Thaw Slumps using drone imagery. This experience allowed me to learn how to use new remote sensing software and gave me a better understanding of how remote sensing techniques can be used to investigate environmental changes in Arctic landscapes.

In addition to these research activities, I had the opportunity to participate in fieldwork and collect sediment core samples myself near Sherbrooke for another research project. Experiencing the fieldwork process firsthand was particularly valuable, as it allowed me to better understand the connection between field sampling, laboratory analyses, and scientific interpretation.

I am deeply grateful to the PermaIntern/SEDNA program and Professor Frédéric Bouchard for this valuable research opportunity. This internship allowed me to develop laboratory, fieldwork, and geospatial analysis skills while gaining experience in interdisciplinary and international research. It also strengthened my motivation to pursue a PhD in environmental research and provided me with valuable knowledge and connections that will support my future academic career.