SHERPA is committed to supporting the next generation of researchers. We offer a variety of opportunities for involvement and support to students working under the supervision of our member researchers whose projects align with the Institute’s areas of expertise: culture, migration, and interculturality.
This space allows SHERPA students to personalize their profiles, share their work and social links, and showcase their research to increase visibility. The aim is to facilitate new collaborations within the community by encouraging interdisciplinary exchanges and partnerships. Explore these features to enhance your online presence and create exciting opportunities within our network.
Sign up to become a student member!
Joining SHERPA as a student member comes with many advantages:
- Access to information about scholarships and research assistantship opportunities;
- Involvement in the Institute’s governance structure through the Student Committee;
- Participation in networking activities with SHERPA IU members and collaborators;
- A platform to promote your expertise and academic achievements.
Postdoctorate’s Program
Myriam Richard, Administration publique, Ecole nationale d’administration publique (ENAP) and Institut Universitaire SHERPA
Project: La cocréation de l’adaptation culturelle des services jeunesse dans quatre territoires de la province de Québec (Montréal, Capitale-Nationale, Outaouais et Estrie). 2024-2026
Supervision: Naïma Bentayeb
Interests: Adaptation des services; impacts de la migration sur les jeunes et leur famille; intervention sociale interculturelle et transnationale
myriam.richard@enap.ca
LinkedIn
Research Gate
Doctorate’s program
Rachelle Abou Sleiman, Sciences de l’éducation/département de psychopédagogie et d’andragogie, Université de Montréal
Project: Exploration du bien-être des étudiantes et étudiants inscrits au baccalauréat en éducation et analyse des déterminants influençant leur bien-être et leur identité vocationnelle. 2024-2027
Direction: Garine Papazian-Zohrabian
Interests: Bien-être, santé mentale positive, identité vocationnelle
rachelle.abou.sleiman@umontreal.ca
LinkedIn
David Croteau, Éducation/Éducation et formation spécialisées, Université du Québec à Montréal
Project: Représentations sociales et pratiques enseignantes relatives à l’éducation inclusive en classe ordinaire au primaire : regard sur les élèves issus de l’immigration. 2022-2027
Direction: Josée Charette
Interests: Éducation inclusive, Élèves issus de l’immigration, Pratiques inclusives en classe ordinaire
croteau.david.2@courrier.uqam.ca
Polyana Cusson, Faculté des sciences de l’éducation, Université Laval
Project: Les relations entre l’école et les familles immigrantes (titre provisoire). 2023-2027
Direction: Sivane Hirsch et Co-direction : Geneviève Audet
Interests : école-famille-société, diversité/éducation ethnoculturelle, expériences scolaires, réussite éducative
polyana.cusson.1@ulaval.ca
Rania Ikram Djermane, Psychology PhD, Université du Québec à Montréal
Project: Filiations et affiliations : Comprendre le vécu des Canadien.ne.s musulman.e.s exposé.e.s à la violence conjugale durant leur enfance 2022-2028
Direction: Ghayda Hassan
Interests: Psychologie transculturelle, Exposition à la violence conjugale, Trauma
djermane.rania_ikram@courrier.uqam.ca
LinkedIn
Berna Elias, École de travail social, Université de Montréal
Project: La co-construction d’un dispositif clinique de soutien pour renforcer le partenariat transculturel dans les programmes de coaching parental (DI-TSA) 2019-2026
Direction: Sophie Hamisultane
Interests: Partenariat en intervention – Contexte transculturel – Réadaptation
berna.elias@umontreal.ca
LinkedIn
Gabrielle Montesano, Doctorat en sciences de l’éducation, option psychopédagogie Université de Montréal
Project: Les pratiques enseignantes pour promouvoir l’inclusion des élèves réfugié·es et en demande d’asile : une recherche-action en classe ordinaire du primaire. 2023-2028
Direction: Garine Papazian-Zohrabian
Interests: élèves issu·es de l’immigration; éducation inclusive; pratiques enseignantes
gabrielle.montesano@umontreal.ca
LinkedIn
Marie Müller, Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry , Université McGill
Project: Visual Narratives Against Eco-Anxiety: Building Empathic Relationships with the Environment for Urban Youth from Socioeconomically Deprived Neighborhoods (titre provisoire). 2025-2027
Direction : Cécile Rousseau
Interests: Changement climatique, Santé mentale, Bandes dessinées
marie.muller@mail.mcgill.ca
Alexandra Otis, Public Heath PhD, option santé mondiale, Université de Montréal
Project: Trajectoires migratoires, sécurité alimentaire et santé des travailleurs migrants temporaires dans le système agroalimentaire au Québec : une recherche mixte. 2021-2026
Direction: Lara Gautier
Interests: Santé mondiale, sécurité alimentaire, équité en santé
alexandra.otis@umontreal.ca
LinkedIn
Nawel Saad, Faculté des sciences infirmières, Université de Montréal
Projet: Le stress et le soutien social chez les parents immigrants qui ont des enfants en bas âge. 2024-2026
Direction: Lisa Merry
Interests: Immigration santé internationale
Nawel.saad@umontreal.ca
Tara Santavicca, Sciences de l’éducation, Université de Montréal
Project: Comprendre et mitiger la polarisation dans le milieu scolaire québécois: évaluation des activités de prévention et d’intervention de l’équipe clinique École et polarisation. 2024-2028.
Direction : Diana Miconi et Cécile Rousseau
Interests: Éducation, santé publique, développement positif des jeunes
tara.santavicca@umontreal.ca
Master’s program
Anne-Aimée Crépeau, Faculté des sciences infirmières, Université de Montréal
Project: Promotion de saines habitudes de vie en périnatalité sociale : expériences infirmières en contexte de vulnérabilité liée à l’immigration ou aux conditions socio-économiques. 2023-2025
Direction: Lisa Merry
Interests: Promotion de saines habitudes de vie; Périnatalité sociale; Sciences infirmières
aa.charest-crepeau@umontreal.ca
Student Committee
Join the student committee
The student committee consists of students who wish to take an active role in organizing activities and participating in the governance of research teams. With the support of the coordinating team, the committee develops engaging, accessible activities tailored to the student community.
If you’re interested in joining, please contact us at:
comiteetudiant.sherpa.ccomtl@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
Our student committee leader
Gabrielle Montesano serves as the student representative at SHERPA for 2024–2025. She is a doctoral candidate in Educational Sciences, specializing in psychopedagogy, at the Université de Montréal. In addition to her studies, she works as a lecturer, research coordinator, and assistant, and is an active student member of several organizations, including SHERPA IU.
Gabrielle holds a Master’s degree in Educational Sciences and has seven years of experience as an elementary school teacher in Montreal. Her research focuses on inclusive education, students from recent immigrant backgrounds (including refugees and asylum seekers), and innovative teaching practices.
Scholarship competition
SHERPA scholarships are part of an annual competition open to students who are supervised or co-supervised by a regular member of the SHERPA research team. These scholarships aim to support innovative and impactful projects aligned with SHERPA’s mission, providing financial assistance to foster academic excellence and research development.
Internships at SHERPA University Institute
University-level internships are available in various related disciplines. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, year-round, based on capacity and need.
For clinical internships, please contact the internship service at CIUSSSS CCOMTL: enseignement.ccomtl@ssss.gouv.qc.ca.
Why do an internship at SHERPA University Institute?
- Integrate a dynamic research environment where researchers, students and research professionals collaborate on projects related to intervention and access to services for people of immigrant background.
- Discover the health and social services environment and explore research opportunities in collaboration with practice settings;
- Collaborate in the development of cutting-edge practices in the field of intervention in a multi-ethnic context.
Examples of internships:
- Collaborate on an ongoing research and evaluation project by contributing to various phases (literature review, data collection, data analysis, article writing, etc.);
- Lead a knowledge mobilization project (development of training materials, scientific popularization, development of practice tools, etc.);
- Support the organization of events;
- Conduct information monitoring.
To apply for an internship, please fill in this form.
Funding opportunities for internships
The Tremplin award supports paid part-time internships lasting 2 to 6 months. To qualify, applicants must meet certain criteria, including being enrolled in a doctoral program.
If you plan to apply for a Tremplin Award, please inform us at sherpa.dlm@ssss.gouv.qc.ca so we can assist you. Applications are due in June.
Le Carrefour des savoirs
