SERS PhD candidate Isabel Jorgensen has been awarded a prestigious P.E.O. Scholar Award for her high level of academic achievement and potential to have a positive impact on society. Congratulations, Isabel!
Republishing an article published in The Conversation written by SERS professor Robert Gibson.
Amendments to Canada's Impact Assessment Act are being drafted in response to a Supreme Court ruling in October 2023 where a majority of justices concluded that some aspects of the federal Impact Assessment Act reached too far into provincial jurisdiction. Drafting amendments to Canada's Impact Assessment Act will be a difficult assignment. Officials need to respect Canada's Constitution and also apply new knowledge and act on new imperatives. Challenges include not only bringing the laws into constitutional compliance but also meeting 21st-century needs for assessments and decision-making in the lasting public interest.
Dustin Garrick has been appointed director of the University of Waterloo’s Collaborative Water Program for a two-year term, effective January 1, 2024. Dustin is University Research Chair in Water and Development Policy, associate professor in SERS and is a Water Institute member.
Established in 2013, the Collaborative Water Program is unique at the University of Waterloo and globally for its interdisciplinary approach and focus on learning through hands-on experience. The aim is to train the next generation of water leaders and equip them with the job-ready skills needed to understand and address complex water challenges.
The number of solar-powered water pumps is increasing in lower and middle income countries. While the technology presents important opportunities to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, an article published in Science co-led by SERS professor Dustin Garrick suggests that anticipated emissions reductions are complex to calculate and solar pumps are likely to increase groundwater depletion as farmers gain access to cheap, clean energy.
We are pleased to announce that Derek Armitage is the new Director of SERS, taking up the role on January 1, 2024.
Brendon Larson reflects on his approach to the redesign of the first year course, ERS 102 “Sustainability and the Really Long View”, for the winter 2024 term, including challenges that he faces.
The School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability congratulates our newest cohort of doctoral graduands.
We are pleased to announce that four new faculty have taken up positions in SERS in the past year. We welcomed Dr. Felicitas Egunyu (August 2022), Dr. Helena Shilomboleni (September 2022), Dr. Chantel Markle (January 2023) and Dr. Leah Jones-Crank (July 2023).
Augustine Osei discusses his selection of the PhD program in Social and Ecological Sustainability and his research which he is conducting under the supervision of Dr. Maren Oelbermann. He is currently studying greenhouse gas emissions during growing and non-growing seasons and using spectroscopy techniques to measure carbon sequestration.
Dr. Kelsey Leonard's WAMPUM Lab partnered with the Collaboratory for Indigenous Data Governance to co-develop a report to the UN to prioritize Indigenous Peoples in the digital ecosystem. Their submission indicates principles and actions that can be taken to achieve the goal of an open, free and secure digital future for all. It employs the CARE principles, which are well-established in the open data movement.