Advancing experiential learning in Environment
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Michael O. Wood will continue serving as associate dean, work integrated learning to strengthen opportunities for students to gain first-hand insight into how technology, sustainability and disruption are reshaping work.
Dr. Wood is an associate professor – teaching stream in the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development at the University of Waterloo. He holds a Ph.D. in Strategy and Sustainability from the Ivey Business School. His research explores organizational responses to sustainability challenges across sectors, including insurance, mining, water risk and the Blue Economy, carbon management, waste management, and global security and climate change.
Dr. Wood is also a co-principal investigator on the Global Futures Fund 1.0 project, creating Canada’s largest integrated capstone ecosystem. He is an award-winning educator, recognized with the Faculty Teaching Award and multiple Outstanding Performance Awards for excellence in teaching and service.
As the associate dean, work integrated learning for the last three years, Dr. Wood has created opportunities for industry and students to connect, most notably be redesigning capstone courses. Traditionally, the faculties at Waterloo can seem quite siloed in terms of their organizational structure, but in 2023 the faculties of Environment, Engineering and Math teamed up to break the mold. Together, they offered the first interdisciplinary undergraduate capstone project at the University of Waterloo.
This collaborative effort brought together 155 students from all three faculties under one jointly offered course. Over eight months, groups were formed to propose solutions to real world sustainability challenges, several of which were presented by clients. Over the last two years, i-Capstone has attracted more than 300 students from across all Waterloo’s faculties working with a broad suite of industry partners on challenges directly connected to the Global Futures.
In 2025, Dr. Wood spearheaded the inaugural Energy Transitions Networking Forum connecting students with industry leaders and alumni working on the front lines of the energy transition. It was first event in the Faculty of Environment’s Sustainable Futures for Tomorrow’s Leaders Series; linking student talent and industry to shape a changing workforce and drive economic prosperity and sustainability.
With this new appointment, Dr. Wood will spend the next two years working to further embed and connect our communities of scholarship, teaching and practice through initiatives like the inaugural Environment Capstone Symposium, which brings together our students to showcase and celebrate their academic work to our community within and beyond Ring Road.
“Mike’s visionary leadership and his efforts to break down silos and foster partnerships with industry have created transformative opportunities for students to engage with environmental issues and innovation. We are excited for his continued leadership in shaping the future of experiential education.”
For the past 50 years, the University of Waterloo has been a leader in sustainability research and education, and the Faculty of Environment has been a catalyst for environmental innovation, solutions, and talent developed with the world, for the world. Dr. Wood’s re-appointment and continued leadership reflects our ongoing dedication to driving transformative change for people and planet.
