News

Dr. Amelia Clarke in the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development has been recognized for her excellence in graduate student supervision. Her contributions span rigorous academic advising, transformative mentorship and a deep commitment to building inclusive research communities. Congratulations, Dr. Clarke! 

Each year, Knowledge Integration students bring ideas to life through immersive museum exhibits as part of their final capstone project. This year’s KI Exhibit invited visitors to reflect on our experiences in an increasingly digital world. 

Canada’s eastern boreal forest supports a wide diversity of wildlife, including sandhill cranes. This migratory bird is a species of conservation concern and uses the eastern boreal forest of Ontario and Quebec for breeding. Kiaunna Lee, a recent graduate of the Master of Environmental Studies program, used high-resolution satellite telemetry data to assess how land cover and land use influenced breeding habitat selection of 42 sandhill cranes in Ontario and Quebec.

Dr. Jennifer Clapp has been named the AAG Honorary Geographer for her groundbreaking work at the intersection of global economy, food systems and food security, along with her sustained commitment to international policy.

Bashirah, a master's student in SEED, and Gurpreet, a PhD student in sustainability management were selected as finalists for the 2026 GRADflix video competition.

The University of Waterloo is announcing an important evolution to one of its longstanding academic programs: Geomatics has been renamed to Geospatial Data Science. The new name better reflects the modern tools, methods and career pathways that define the field today, helping students, employers and partners clearly understand the program’s contemporary focus and strengths. 

Libro Credit Union has renewed its commitment to experiential learning in the Faculty of Environment, pledging another $60,000 over the next three years.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation has recognized Dr. Dawn Parker, professor in the School of Planning, and the Urban Growth and Change Research Group with the Gold Roof Award for Housing Research Excellence. 

The Faculty of Environment is delighted to welcome Dr. Adwoa Appiah as the newest professor in the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development. Starting this February, Dr. Appiah will bring her extensive expertise in sustainable finance, ESG integration, and the role of financial institutions in advancing sustainable development to the school.

Community engagement is a critical component to advancing local environmental issues. Traditionally, a lack of engagement was attributed to a community’s deficiency of knowledge or understanding. However, the opportunity for community members to interact with an issue in a sensory and emotional format has shown to foster curiosity, interest, and empathy. This interaction can be accomplished through the process of photo-elicitation, where participants submit photographs and engage in dialogue around a topic, including environmental issues. Beth Grant, a recent graduate of the Master of Environmental Studies program, investigated how photo-elicitation can improve public perception and engagement, using Hamilton Harbour as their study area.