Electrifying Concordia: A Living Lab on Sustainable and Community-Driven Decarbonization
Funded MSc Scholarship in Geography, Planning and Environment; Design and Computation Arts
Last updated: January 15, 2026, 10:40 a.m.
Supervisory details
Supervisors: Damon Matthews, Florian Grond
Department: Geography, Planning and Environment; Design and Computation Arts
University: Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
Start date: Summer 2026, Fall 2026
MSc Scholarship: 22K CAD per year for 2 years
Project overview
Concordia University’s Sustainability Action Plan and PLAN/NET ZERØ program aim to fully decarbonize the campus by 2040. The proposed "Electrifying Concordia" Living Lab will unite researchers and campus stakeholders to develop and implement community-driven decarbonization projects. Focusing on energy systems, resilience, food sustainability, and climate policy, the initiative will also create a collaborative governance model and expand community engagement to support long-term sustainable change.
Role description
- Design and develop immersive media experiences (e.g., spatial audio, interactive soundscapes, audiovisual installations, XR prototypes) that communicate climate change, decarbonization, and sustainability challenges on campus.
- Translate climate science insights (e.g., emissions pathways, mitigation targets, climate impacts) into experiential and accessible storytelling formats for diverse audiences.
- Conduct research-creation using exploratory, iterative, and practice-based methods at the intersection of climate science, media arts, and human-computer interaction.
- Collaborate with Living Lab stakeholders (students, researchers, policymakers, community members) to co- create engagement tools that foster dialogue and participation.
- Document and evaluate the effectiveness of immersive media for knowledge mobilization and public engagement.
- Produce a Master’s thesis combining creative outputs (media artifacts) with critical reflection and analysis.
- A funded Master’s research position within Concordia University’s Volt-Age Living Lab, focused on real-world climate action and campus decarbonization.
- Co-supervision by Professor Matthews and Professor Florian Grond, combining expertise in climate change and mitigation with immersive media, spatial audio, and inclusive design.
- An interdisciplinary research-creation environment bridging climate science, media arts, human-computer interaction, and public engagement.
- Opportunities to develop creative, public-facing outputs (immersive installations, interactive media, experiential storytelling) alongside a rigorous academic thesis.
- Access to Living Lab infrastructure, datasets, and stakeholder networks, including researchers, policymakers, students, and community partners.
- Climate change
- Decarbonization
- Sustainability
- Knowledge mobilization
- Public engagement
- Immersive media
- Experiential storytelling
- Research-creation
- Spatial audio
- Interactive media
- Human-computer interaction
- Accessibility
- Inclusive design
- Campus living lab
- Interdisciplinary research
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as Environmental Science, Climate Science, Media Arts, Sound Studies, Digital Media, Human-Computer Interaction, Design, or related disciplines.
- Demonstrated interest in climate change, sustainability, or environmental communication, with the ability to engage with scientific concepts conceptually.
- Experience or strong interest in immersive or interactive media, such as spatial audio, sound design, XR, interactive installations, or digital storytelling.
- Familiarity with or openness to research-creation methodologies and interdisciplinary research.
- Awareness of or interest in accessibility and inclusive design principles.
- Ability to work independently while collaborating across science, arts, and policy-oriented teams.
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Motivation to contribute to public-facing, impact-driven research within a Living Lab environment.
Please send the following documents in a single PDF file:
- Letter of intent strongly aligned with the project and the research domain of the professor (Please explain why you are a good fit for the position)
- Academic CV
- Transcripts
- Names and contact information of 3 referees
- Publications if any
- Portfolio of creative work
Send your PDF file to volt-age.recruitment@concordia.ca with the subject as:
Immersive media_Your Name
Applications are open until February 10, 2026.
Questions/contact
For all questions, please contact Alisa Makusheva at alisa.makusheva@concordia.ca.
Volt-Age is funded by a $123-million grant from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund.
