Lecture

International Opportunities Info Session

Rochelle DeSouza — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 20:12:42 +0000

International Opportunities Info Session Rochelle DeSouza Thu, 09/18/2025 - 16:12

Calling all undergrads!

Are you ready to elevate your academic journey and gain a global perspective? Join us at this year’s International Opportunities Event to learn more about international exchange, co-op opportunities and academic certificate programs including EDGE and GLIDE. If you're in your second or third year of studies, don’t miss this chance to explore how you can enhance your education through global experiences!

Event highlights

Learn how to apply for global opportunities from program representatives, including exchange programs, international co-op work terms, and certificate programs that enhance your degree and expand your horizons.
Network with peers and professionals passionate about global engagement and experiential learning to build a valuable global network.

Mark your calendar for an inspiring and informative event, and let us know you're coming!

Can't wait to apply for exchange? Finish the first step to apply by completing the mandatory information session on LEARN.

Please email Rochelle DeSouza at env-exch@uwaterloo.ca should you have any questions about this event.

Field Course Opportunities Info Session

Rochelle DeSouza — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 20:04:22 +0000

Field Course Opportunities Info Session Rochelle DeSouza Thu, 09/18/2025 - 16:04

Calling all undergrads!

Looking for ways to get out into the field and internationalize your degree? Join us at this Field Course Opportunities Info Session to learn about the upcoming field courses open to Environment students!

Event highlights

Learn about the benefits of taking a field course and how it could enhance your degree and expand your horizons.
Hear from field course instructors as they share key details about the Singapore and Ireland field courses.
Hear firsthand student insights about taking a field course.

Mark your calendar for an inspiring and informative event, and let us know whether you're coming! If you are interested in the Singapore or Ireland field course, be sure to RSVP below to express your interest.

Please email Rochelle DeSouza at rdesouza@uwaterloo.ca should you have any questions about this event.

2025 TD Walter Bean High School Lecture

Chinweike Anastasia Ike-Orji — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 16:07:31 +0000

2025 TD Walter Bean High School Lecture Chinweike Anas… Wed, 07/02/2025 - 12:07

What if you could help fix the future of the planet—the air we breathe, the cities we live in, and the nature we depend on? Dr. Andrew Steer, a leading global expert on climate and sustainability and former head of the Bezos Earth Fund, will share how solving massive problems like climate change begins with bold ideas and real action. From building greener cities to protecting forests and coastlines, he’ll show how this generation can lead change—working with the world, for the world. This inspiring talk is part of the University of Waterloo’s commitment to developing the next generation of changemakers, in line with its bold Waterloo at 100 vision for a sustainable future.

Event Registration (Grades 8–12)

Cost: Free | Limited Capacity for In-Person | RSVP by September 23

Steps to Register:

Registration must be completed by a teacher or school staff member.
Indicate whether your group will attend in person or virtually.
Schools must arrange their own transportation. Upload proof of bus booking with your registration.
- Need help? Limited bus subsidies are available. Send a bus quote to caikeorj@uwaterloo.ca to apply.
Lunch is included for all in-person attendees. Upload a completed "dietary restrictions and accommodations" Excel sheet with details for all students and staff.

dietary-restrictions-and-accommodations-template.xlsx
Act fast: In-person spots are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Please email Chinweike Anastasia Ike-Orji at caikeorj@uwaterloo.ca should you have any questions or concerns.

Schedule

Time	Activity
9 a.m.	Bus arrival
9:30 a.m.	Registration
10 a.m.	In-person lecture
11:30 a.m.	Complimentary lunch: Faculty booths and optional film
1:00 p.m.	Departure

About our 2025 TD Walter Bean Professor

Sir Andrew Steer KCMG, PhD is a globally recognized economist and leader in sustainable development, and climate and nature action. He is currently serving as Professor of Economics and Sustainability at the London School of Economics and Georgetown University.

As former President and CEO of the Bezos Earth Fund, he directed the world’s largest philanthropy for climate and nature. Previously, he served as the President and CEO of the World Resources Institute, the world’s foremost Think Tank/Do Tank on Environment and Development. With a distinguished career spanning leadership roles in the World Bank and the UK Government, he has been instrumental in designing policies that advance economic growth with environmental stewardship. He has advised world leaders, corporations and financial institutions on green finance, carbon reduction strategies and sustainable development. In 2024, Sir Andrew was knighted in recognition of ‘his sustained contribution as one of the world’s best-known leaders in global sustainable development economics with a focus on climate change and poverty reduction’. He was also named in 2024 by Forbes as one of the world’s 50 most impactful climate leaders, an honour that was recognized in the publication’s inaugural Sustainability Leaders list.

Sir Andrew is a Global Agenda Trustee for the World Economic Forum, where he co-chairs its Global Futures Council on Innovative Finance for Climate and Nature. He serves on the UK Foreign Secretary’s External Foreign Policy Board, is a Board member of the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet and a member of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development. He has served on the advisory boards of Bank of America and IKEA, and was co-chair of HSBC’s climate advisory committee.

Register your class

School

School board

Attendance type

In-Person

Registration for in-person attendance is now at maximum capacity. Please consider joining us virtually.

Virtual

A YouTube link will be provided to registered teacher

Number of students

Head teacher's first name

Head teacher's last name

Head teacher's email

Additional teachers/supervisors

Teacher 2

Teacher 2 first name

Teacher 2 last name

Teacher 2 email

Teacher 3

Teacher 3 first name

Teacher 3 last name

Teacher 3 email

Teacher 4

Teacher 4 first name

Teacher 4 last name

Teacher 4 email

Teacher 5

Teacher 5 first name

Teacher 5 last name

Teacher 5 email

Student's grade

Grade 8

Grade 9

Grade 10

Grade 11

Grade 12

Type of class (IB, U/C)

Class subject(s)

Participating in lunch

Subsidy required

Please note that subsidies for buses are available, but limited. If you and your students require transportation, we ask that you arrange the details and send us a quote from the bus company that you plan to use for our approval. Please email the quote to Chinweike Anastasia Ike-Orji at caikeorj@uwaterloo.ca.

File upload

Please upload proof of transportation arrangements and filled in dietary restrictions and accommodation list.
Maximum 3 files.
100 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.

Walking the Path of Hope - Climate Anxiety and the Healing Forest

Amanda St. Marie — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 18:31:23 +0000

Walking the Path of Hope - Climate Anxiety and the Healing Forest Amanda St. Marie Tue, 10/15/2024 - 14:31

Join us on Thursday, November 14 for an inspiring event co-hosted by the Faculty of Environment and the Waterloo Climate Institute that blends the themes of climate anxiety, Indigenous healing, reconciliation, and Land Back.

The event will feature a fireside chat between Dr. Kelsey Leonard and Elder Myeengun Henry, who will share wisdom on the importance of land in Indigenous healing and cultural resilience. The conversation will also focus on how Indigenous perspectives can offer guidance in navigating the growing concerns around climate anxiety, particularly among young people.

Following the fireside chat, attendees will be invited to walk through the Healing Forest exhibit, a space dedicated to reflection on the impacts of colonialism and the resilience of Indigenous people. This immersive experience will provide an opportunity to connect and engage deeply with the themes of the day.

Time: 5:00-6:00PM

Location: Arts Lecture Hall, Rm 116

Schedule:

4:50 to 5:00 PM - Doors open
5:00 to 5:50 PM - Conversation with Dr. Kelsey Leonard and Elder Myeengun Henry
5:50 to 6:00 PM - Q&A
6:00 to 6:30 PM - Reception with refreshments and snacks at the Healing Forest Exhibit in Environment 2 (all attendees welcome)

Please note: This event is open to all students, faculty and staff across the University Waterloo community. It is proudly hosted by the Faculty of Environment and the Waterloo Climate Institute as a precursor to the Environment Student Society’s Wellness Week in an effort to support students in their self-care journey and navigate wellness concerns like climate anxiety.

Speakers

Elder Myeengun Henry

As Indigenous Knowledge Keeper, Elder Henry provides strategic leadership to the Faculty of Health and our response to the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action. He collaborates with the Office of Indigenous Relations and with the Faculty of Health community, and identifies and contributes to building reciprocal and respectful relationships with Indigenous individuals and communities.

Elder Henry comes to University of Waterloo from Conestoga College where he was the Manager of Indigenous Services and a Professor of Indigenous Studies. He is the former Elected Chief and band councilor for Chippewas of the Thames First Nation. In addition to these leadership roles, he currently serves as Chair for the Ontario Provincial Police and Law society of Ontario Indigenous Advisory councils. Elder Henry also serves as an Indigenous ceremony conductor throughout Canada and the United States of America, traditional medicine practitioner, environmental protectionist, Indigenous counsellor, and Pow Wow coordinator.

Elder Henry is a member of the UW Indigenous Advisory Circle, which advises the Office of Indigenous Relations on indigenization and decolonization.

Dr. Kelsey Leonard, Shinnecock Nation

Dr. Kelsey Leonard is a water scientist, legal scholar, policy expert, writer, and enrolled citizen of the Shinnecock Nation. Dr. Leonard is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Environment at the University of Waterloo and Climate Institute member, where her research focuses on Indigenous water justice and its climatic, territorial, and governance underpinnings. Dr. Leonard seeks to establish Indigenous traditions of water conservation as the foundation for international water policymaking.

She represents the Shinnecock Indian Nation on the Mid-Atlantic Committee on the Ocean, which is charged with protecting America's ocean ecosystems and coastlines. She also serves as a member of the Great Lakes Water Quality Board of the International Joint Commission. Her regional ocean policy work in collaboration with Tribes, state, federal and fishery management council entities received a Peter Benchley Ocean Award for Excellence in Solutions.

“If we’re going to make innovative changes for water governance, it has to come from an interdisciplinary approach. We can’t solve these issues in isolation."

International Opportunities Info Session

Maliha Karim — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 15:20:53 +0000

International Opportunities Info Session Maliha Karim Tue, 09/17/2024 - 11:20

Calling all undergrads!

Are you ready to elevate your academic journey and gain a global perspective? Join us at this year’s International Opportunities Event to learn more about international exchange, co-op and EDGE opportunities and field courses. If you're in your second or third year of studies, don’t miss this chance to explore how you can enhance your education through global experiences!

Room change: the info session will now be held in AL 208 to accommodate demand

Event highlights

Learn how to apply for global opportunities from program representatives, including exchange programs, international co-op placements, and field courses that enhance your degree and expand your horizons.
Hear firsthand insights from students about their international experiences.
Network with peers and professionals passionate about global engagement and experiential learning to build a valuable global network.

Mark your calendar for an inspiring and informative event, and let us know you're coming!

Please note that field courses will run subject to student interest. If you are interested in the South Africa or Singapore field courses, be sure to RSVP below to express your interest.

Can't wait to apply for exchange? Finish the first step to apply by completing the mandatory information session on LEARN.

Happiness in Environment with Dr. Rekhi Singh

Chinweike Anastasia Ike-Orji — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 16:03:29 +0000

Happiness in Environment with Dr. Rekhi Singh Chinweike Anas… Wed, 03/27/2024 - 12:03

Who’s running your life – you or your monkey brain?

Dr. Rekhi Singh

Is Happiness a factor in success? How do our brains prioritize Happiness and how does that affect our efficiency and impact? Can Happiness be empirically and scientifically studied?

Join Dr. Rekhi Signh, researcher, Engineer and Found of R systems, to explore the Science of Happiness, and how the study of Happiness will allow all people to gain better control of their lives.

2023 TD Walter Bean Public Lecture

Tolu Mohammed — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 20:12:22 +0000

2023 TD Walter Bean Public Lecture Tolu Mohammed Tue, 02/06/2024 - 15:12

Despite worldwide initiatives and efforts, the amount of plastic entering aquatic ecosystems is increasing at an alarming rate, choking our oceans with tonnes of waste. But plastic pollution is only one factor threatening marine ecosystems, biodiversity, livelihoods, economies and human health. In this lecture, Dr. Denis Aheto will discuss a holistic approach to caring for the world’s oceans, lakes and rivers. Using examples from African countries, he will explore how the global community can transform the challenges facing our oceans into opportunities for growth to bolster sustainable development and stimulate socioeconomic transformation.

Important registration information

This is a free event.
All members of the UWaterloo and wider community are welcome to join.
For in-person attendance, please note seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
Registrants for the online event will be emailed the link for the live-stream prior to the event.
Should you register and no longer be able to attend, please contact Chinweike Ike-Orji.

About our 2024 TD Walter Bean Professor

Denis W. Aheto is a Professor of Coastal Ecology and Interdisciplinary Oceans Studies, and Foundation Director of the Centre for Coastal Management - The Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR) at the University of Cape Coast. He holds PhD and MSc Degrees in Environmental Sciences and Tropical Aquatic Ecology respectively from the University of Bremen, and a MSc. Degree in Rural Development from the Swedish Agricultural University. A distinguished scholar, with over 15 years of scientific project management experience, he is the authorized representative of institutional donor funded projects in marine/coastal and fisheries management at the University of Cape Coast funded by the World Bank, African Union, USAID,and DANIDA. He has an outstanding intellectual publication record in indexed journals on issues of coastal/marine ecosystem conservation, small-scale fisheries, marine spatial planning, wetlands ecology, and marine conflict issues. He serves on several national and international Boards including his role as technical advisor to West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program of the World Bank.

2024 TD Walter Bean High School Lecture

Tolu Mohammed — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 19:55:23 +0000

2024 TD Walter Bean High School Lecture Tolu Mohammed Fri, 02/02/2024 - 14:55

Important registration information

This is a free event.
Students grades 8-12 are welcomed.
Registration should be completed by a school representative.
RSVP by February 27 for in-person attendance. There is limited capacity and registration as of February 15 has reached half of our max total. The event will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Schools are responsible for booking their own transportation (school buses). Please upload a confirmation of your bus arrangement with your registration.
Bus subsidies are limited but available. To apply for a bus subsidy, please send a school bus quote to caikeorj@uwaterloo.ca.
Lunch will be provided. Please upload a completed excel document detailing dietary restrictions and accommodations for all students and staff when registering.

dietary-restrictions-and-accommodations-template.xlsx

Please email Chinweike Anastasia Ike-Orji at caikeorj@uwaterloo.ca should you have any questions or concerns.

Schedule

Time	Activity
9 a.m.	Bus arrival
9:30 a.m.	Registration
10 a.m.	In-person lecture
11:30 a.m.	Complimentary lunch
1:00 p.m.	Campus tours
2:00 p.m.	Departure

About our 2024 TD Walter Bean Professor

Denis W. Aheto is a Professor of Coastal Ecology and Interdisciplinary Oceans Studies and Foundation Director of the Centre for Coastal Management - The Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR) at the University of Cape Coast. He holds PhD and MSc Degrees in Environmental Sciences and Tropical Aquatic Ecology respectively from the University of Bremen. He also holds an MSc. Degree in Rural Development from the Swedish Agricultural University. He earned his BSc (Hons) Degree from the University of Cape Coast. Professor Aheto is a distinguished scholar, with over 15 years of scientific project management experience. He is the authorized representative of institutional donor funded projects in marine/coastal and fisheries management at the University of Cape Coast funded by the World Bank, African Union, USAID, DANIDA among others. He’s passionate about international academic partnerships in his area of professional work. He has an outstanding intellectual publication record in indexed journals on issues of coastal/marine ecosystem conservation, small-scale fisheries, marine spatial planning, wetlands ecology, and marine conflict issues. He serves on several national and international Boards including his role as technical advisor to West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program of the World Bank. He holds several meritorious awards for his contributions.

Beyond the "pipeline": Evaluations, values, and allyship in academia

Chantal Vallis — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 20:35:05 +0000

Beyond the "pipeline": Evaluations, values, and allyship in academia Chantal Vallis Tue, 11/07/2023 - 15:35

We've likely all heard at least a bit about the "pipeline" problem in academia. While the need to address the "pipeline" problem and create more diverse institutions is real, it is not the only area of concern when attending to gender inequalities across the University. In this faculty specific lecture, Dr. Jamie Sewell will go beyond the "pipeline" problem to address some ways that we can work toward greater gender equity once more demographically and value-diverse folks have made it onto our campus and into our departments, offices, and support teams.

Topics include the narrative of "value", what it means to be an ally, creating open feedback channels, and more.

Please note that this lecture is open to Faculty of Environment staff, faculty and post-doctoral candidates.

Meet the presenter

Dr. Jamie Sewell (she/they) is a queer, feminist epistemologist, and a first-generation student. Dr. Sewell holds both an M.A. and Ph.D. in philosophy where she's contributed to democratic education theory, applied ethics, and philosophy of law. She has been teaching at the University of Waterloo since 2015, in both the Philosophy and the Gender & Social Justice Departments, and is a Senior Training Specialist in the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism. Dr. Sewell founded and, in its first year, co-directed the University of Waterloo chapter of Minorities and Philosophy — an international organization that seeks to connect with and support marginalized philosophers at all levels.

About the Gender Equity Lecture Series

This lecture series is intended to highlight some significant personal, interpersonal, and systemic barriers to gender equity across the University of Waterloo's campus, and explain some of the harms of gender inequity, when it arises. In addition, this series aims to explore foundational concepts in gender theory, implicit bias, epistemic ignorance, systemic oppression, and more. Ultimately, this series is intended to help develop shared epistemic resources, such that we can all better understand how gender inequity can manifest, and work toward mitigating its effects on our community.

Trespassing across North America: One man's epic, never-done-before (and sort of illegal) hike along the Keystone XL Pipeline

Chantal Vallis — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 19:23:40 +0000

Trespassing across North America: One man's epic, never-done-before (and sort of illegal) hike along the Keystone XL Pipeline Chantal Vallis Mon, 10/16/2023 - 15:23

In a journey inspired by climate change, Ken Ilungas walked nearly 2,000 miles across North America following the proposed route of the Keystone XL pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta, to the Gulf Coast of Texas. Along the way he encountered stampedes of cows, charging moose, and climate change deniers. His adventure, which was featured in the New York Times, Huffington Post, Mother Jones, CBC News, Men’s Journal and more, is the world's first modern journey across private property, on which he trespassed over one of the most ignored, yet beautiful, regions of our continent—the Great Plains. He joins the University of Waterloo on November 7 to share his experience and perspective on:

How individuals can deal with something as big as eco-anxiety
Why climate change denial exists and how we can address those who deny
The significance of the Keystone XL as a watershed moment in the environmental justice movement, the current status of pipelines in North America and the evolving fossil fuel versus renewable energy landscape

More about Ken Ilungas

Ken Ilgunas is an author, journalist, and backcountry ranger in Alaska. He has hitchhiked ten thousand miles across North America, paddled one thousand miles across Ontario in a birchbark canoe, and walked 1,700 miles across the Great Plains, following the proposed route of the Keystone XL pipeline. He’s written for the New York Times, Time, Backpacker, Smithsonian Magazine, and the Chronicle of Higher Education. His adventures and books have been featured on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The New Yorker, National Geographic, and NPR. He holds a B.A. from SUNY Buffalo in history and English, and an M.A. in liberal studies from Duke. He is the author of travel memoirs Walden on Wheels and Trespassing Across America, and advocacy book, This Land Is Our Land. He is from Wheatfield, New York, and is presently living in Scotland.

About the event

This event is open to all students, faculty and staff across the University Waterloo community. It is proudly hosted by the Dean's Office during the Environment Student Society’s Wellness Week in an effort to support students in their self-care journey and navigate wellness concerns like eco-anxiety. We hope you will join us to pause and reflect on the ways we can deal with eco-anxiety as individuals and as a community, and learn from the experiences of Ken Ilungas.

Lecture

International Opportunities Info Session

Calling all undergrads!

Event highlights

Field Course Opportunities Info Session

Calling all undergrads!

Event highlights

2025 TD Walter Bean High School Lecture

Event Registration (Grades 8–12)

Schedule

Time

Activity

About our 2025 TD Walter Bean Professor

Register your class

Walking the Path of Hope - Climate Anxiety and the Healing Forest

Speakers

Elder Myeengun Henry

Dr. Kelsey Leonard, Shinnecock Nation

International Opportunities Info Session

Calling all undergrads!

Event highlights

Happiness in Environment with Dr. Rekhi Singh

Program

About Dr. Rekhi

Register to attend

2023 TD Walter Bean Public Lecture

Important registration information

About our 2024 TD Walter Bean Professor

2024 TD Walter Bean High School Lecture

Important registration information

Schedule

About our 2024 TD Walter Bean Professor

Beyond the "pipeline": Evaluations, values, and allyship in academia

Meet the presenter

About the Gender Equity Lecture Series

Trespassing across North America: One man's epic, never-done-before (and sort of illegal) hike along the Keystone XL Pipeline

More about Ken Ilungas

About the event