Researcher studies permafrost thaw and climate adaptation in Canada’s North
Permafrost under pressure
Beneath the rapidly warming landscapes of Canada’s North, thawing permafrost is creating major environmental challenges. As temperatures rise, infrastructure built on permafrost becomes less stable, contaminants can reach sensitive waterways, and wildfires can grow more severe. Because permafrost is a foundational part of Arctic ecosystems, civil engineering researcher Élise Devoie is studying how freeze-thaw dynamics can be better understood, predicted, and managed.
Permafrost is ground that remains at or below 0 C for at least two years. It can range from less than a metre deep to more than 1,500 metres, and some of it dates back to around 700,000 BCE. About 11 per cent of the Earth’s surface is underlain by permafrost, mostly in the Arctic, making it increasingly urgent to prepare for the effects of widespread thaw in a warming climate.
Faster modelling of freeze-thaw change
Devoie’s research combines numerical modelling, laboratory studies of freezing soils, and field data collection to address gaps in permafrost science. The aim is to improve adaptation and mitigation strategies for environmental impacts driven by thaw.
One of her key innovations is a computational model that simulates freezing soil processes across space and time much more quickly than previous methods. The model can run up to 2,000 times faster, allowing researchers to represent freeze-thaw impacts more rapidly not only in permafrost systems but anywhere the ground freezes.
Work with Northern and Indigenous communities
A central part of Devoie’s work involves partnerships with Northern and Indigenous communities to develop regional climate adaptation plans that fit local cultural contexts. She is leading a project supported in part by $2.4 million from the Weston Family Foundation Northern Biodiversity Research Program.
The project brings together the Tłı̨chǫ government, the community government of Whatì, the government of the Northwest Territories, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and partner universities across North America. It focuses on aquatic systems in Tłı̨chǫ affected by wildfire, examining how contaminants spread after environmental events, how fish habitats are affected, and how lake systems can be preserved and supported in recovery.
Devoie said community engagement is central to the project because it is based on questions raised by community members. She said the team continues to work with local participants throughout the research process, including installing monitoring equipment in areas chosen by land users and drawing on their expertise to interpret data and determine next steps.
International roles and recognition
Beyond field research, Devoie is also contributing to international climate policy discussions. She is working with the NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence on a proposed model to anticipate outcomes and test actions related to earth system science, geopolitics, and economics for international agencies.
In 2025, she was named a member of the Global Young Academy, a network of 200 early- to mid-career researchers focused on global challenges and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Devoie said she hopes the role will help strengthen collaboration with the international community and support efforts to define a path forward for Canada’s North.