Environment professor receives Award of Excellence in Graduate Supervision
Dr. Amelia Clarke in the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development has received the Award of Excellence in Graduate Supervision.
Nomination for the award is based on submissions from current and former graduate students in recognition of excelling as a mentor, advisor, role model, humanist and strategist. Each year supervisors who exemplify these qualities, as well as a high level of energy and ingenuity, are selected for the honour. Dr. Clarke now joins their esteemed ranks.
A defining characteristic of Dr. Clarke’s supervisory excellence is her ability to establish clear, collaborative expectations with her students while empowering them to shape their own research trajectories. Her students describe a shared process of “co-creating supervision plans” that allow them to take meaningful ownership of their research direction and career development. This clarity and mutual accountability foster agency from the earliest stages of supervision.
Dr. Clarke’s commitment to research dissemination is also outstanding. She supports students in publishing, presenting internationally and collaborating with policymakers. These networks provide unparalleled exposure and professional opportunities for her trainees.
Her approach to supervision is deeply intertwined with her research leadership. As the principal investigator of the Municipal Net-Zero Action Research Partnership (N ZAP), a national collaboration involving ICLEI Canada, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, multiple universities and municipalities, she has built an inclusive and dynamic research ecosystem. Within this partnership, graduate students play an integral role in producing applied research that directly informs municipal climate policy. This model embodies the University of Waterloo’s commitment to connecting scholarship with societal impact and provides students with exceptional experiential learning opportunities.
In addition to giving research support, Dr. Clarke has helped her students secure competitive grant funding. She actively mentors students through scholarship applications, grant proposals and research funding mechanisms. Several students credit her advice and edits for helping them obtain major awards that strengthened their academic profiles and reduced financial pressures. In some cases, she has provided direct financial support through research assistantships and funded projects to help students attend conferences, lead research activities and even co-lead courses. The breadth of her support demonstrates her commitment to student success at all stages.
Beyond academia, her influence is described by many as both transformative and empowering. As one nominator noted, “what distinguishes Dr. Clarke most profoundly is her humanity. She cares deeply for her students as people, not just as researchers. She provides a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment where every student feels valued and respected.”
Dr. Clarke has made, and continues to make, an important contribution to graduate training in the Faculty of Environment. Over her distinguished career at the University of Waterloo, she has supervised more than 40 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, many of whom now hold influential positions in academia, government and the non-profit sector. She is currently supervising eight graduate students, in addition to overseeing five full-time research staff.
As her nominator noted: “I could write an entire book about the remarkable things Dr. Clarke has done for students, academia, and the community. To me, she is not only a mentor and professor but also a guardian, someone who shields her students from discouragement and helps them face challenges with confidence and strength.”
Congratulations Dr. Clarke!
