University of Waterloo engineering graduate Julia Baribeau (BASc ’23) is addressing global water and sustainability challenges through intrapreneurship – bringing entrepreneurial innovation to her role at sustainability consulting firm Enviro-Stewards and its social venture, Safe Water Social Ventures.
Baribeau’s journey began in Waterloo’s mechatronics engineering program, where co-op placements honed her technical skills and sparked her interest in the social impact of technology. Reflecting on her time with GreenHouse, the university’s social impact incubator, she says, “As an engineering student, I always wanted to apply my technical skills to solving social and environmental problems, and GreenHouse really gave me the support I needed to start having an impact.” Winning the GreenHouse Social Impact Showcase funded her experience with Barefoot College in India, where she observed how empowering women with engineering skills transformed communities.
Now, at Enviro-Stewards, Baribeau works on sustainability projects in North America and abroad. Her role includes utility assessments at industrial facilities and collaborating with Safe Water Social Ventures in Uganda, where she helped install biosand water filters. These long-lasting, electricity-free filters remove pathogens, providing affordable clean water. Baribeau also trained community members to maintain the systems and explored initiatives like water kiosks to expand access and support local income.
Inspired by these experiences, Baribeau is building expertise to tackle water sovereignty issues faced by Indigenous communities in Canada. She emphasizes community-led solutions and sustainable approaches, working to ensure Indigenous leaders are at the forefront of these efforts.
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