News

The Master of Economic Development Innovation Program equips its graduates with the knowledge, tools, and approaches to address contemporary economic development challenges in cities and communities across Canada and internationally. The one-year program ends with a capstone project, which includes the option of completing a four-month internship in the economic development field. This year, four MEDI students undertook an internship, including Ricky Zhao and Kellie Hettinga. Zhao completed his internship at the County of Perth as a Tourism Officer. Hettinga completed her internship with the City of Woodstock within the Economic Development department.

Dr. Larry Swatuk, professor in the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development, has retired after 17 impactful years at the University of Waterloo. A globally recognized scholar in natural resource management and international development, Larry helped shape key academic programs and brought a spirit of energy and collaboration to the Faculty of Environment. His leadership and legacy will continue to influence generations of students and researchers.

A warm welcome to our 700+ new undergraduate and graduate students! Whether you are a new or returning student, we want to support you in your transition to campus. Start by reviewing campus resources.

The Faculty of Environment is pleased to announce that Dr. Ian Rowlands has been appointed Associate Dean, Graduate Studies, effective September 1, 2025. He succeeds Dr. Peter Deadman, who is beginning a sabbatical after three years of dedicated leadership.

In the final term of the Master of Climate Change program, students have the option of completing an internship in a role focused on climate or climate change. This term, nine students are completing an internship, including Taylor Wiebe and Jack Phibbs. Wiebe is completing an internship with the Oil, Gas, and Alternative Energy Division (OGAED) at Environment and Climate Change Canada in Gatineau, Quebec. Phibbs is completing his internship at the City of Waterloo as a Project Planner and Community Engagement Associate in the Parks and Forestry Department.

Trees are valuable components of the Canadian ecosystem and natural instruments of carbon storage and sequestration. Karisa Tyler, a recent Master of Science graduate from the Department of Geography and Environmental Management, linked the tree growth of black spruce trees to local hydroclimate in two fen sites in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region.

Access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) is an issue that disproportionately impacts women and girls as they are often responsible for finding and collecting water for their households. This issue has a greater impact in rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa, where water access, solid waste receptacles and improved toilet facilities are not commonly present in households. Julius Jebuni, a Master of Arts graduate from the Department of Geography and Environmental Management, grew up in the Upper West Region of Ghana.  His research explored women’s experiences and empowerment through WASH and cash transfer programs post-COVID 19 in his home community.

We are honoured to welcome Sir Andrew Steer as the 2025 TD Walter Bean Professor in Environment. This fall, he will join the Faculty of Environment to deliver two compelling lectures exploring how leaders, innovators, and citizens can rise to meet the world’s most urgent environmental challenges — for nature, our cities and for our shared future. 

A neighbourhood’s stores and restaurants can significantly influence the health and lifespan of its residents. This is due to the area’s retail food environment, which affects how convenient and affordable it is to access nutritious food. Patrycia Menko, a recent Master of Environmental Studies graduate from the School of Planning, identified food deserts and food mirages in Toronto and the cross-sectional links between these areas and gentrification, broken down by dissemination area.

Small-scale fisheries supply about two-thirds of the global fish for direct human consumption, and are facing increased vulnerability to climate change, biodiversity loss, and livelihood security. Farah El-shayeb, a Master of Environmental Studies student in the Department of Geography and Environmental Management, worked with Dr. Jeremy Pittman on an undergraduate research project to determine the role of family in adaptive capacity.