News

Jeff Willmer (BES ’86) has spent nearly three decades transforming the Waterloo Region through thoughtful urban planning, strategic municipal leadership and innovative community initiatives. From revitalizing Kitchener’s downtown to co-founding A Better Tent City, Jeff’s work demonstrates how planning, public service and social equity intersect to create lasting positive impact. He is the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award winner.

Ashoke Mohanraj (BES ’21) is an emerging leader shaping the intersection of environmental law, policy, and education. From advocating for climate justice on international platforms to inspiring young readers through his bestselling books, Ashoke’s interdisciplinary approach demonstrates how creativity, resilience, and civic engagement can drive meaningful change. Discover how his journey from the classroom to the courtroom is lighting the way for a sustainable future. He is the 2025 Recent Alumni Inspiration Award winner.

For over a decade, Co-operators and Farm Mutual Re have partnered with the Faculty of Environment to advance flood preparedness and climate adaptation across Canada. Through applied research, innovative tools, and student mentorship, they are helping communities build resilience to climate hazards. Their collaboration demonstrates how industry and academia can work together to create lasting, equitable impact. They are the 2025 Friend of the Faculty Award winner.

The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) has announced Dr. Peter Crank as one of this year’s recipients of the John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF). He will receive $78,000 for his project: Addressing urban (over)heating in a warming climate.

Under bright autumn skies and the buzz of conversation, the Faculty of Environment community gathered on the EV3 Green for its annual Fall Food Truck Social; a celebration of connection, conversation, and great tastes.

Presenting the most comprehensive global scientific evaluation of food systems to date, the 2025 EAT-Lancet Commission released its report on Healthy, Sustainable, and Just Food Systems. Dr. Jennifer Clapp, professor in the School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, is a contributing author to the report, having worked on the justice section.

Adam Skoyles, a PhD candidate in the School of Planning, is researching how nature and climate change are considered in residential development decisions in Ontario, Canada. In a recently published article, Skoyles interviewed municipal planners and private land developers to assess how decisions are made about natural features in the residential development planning process, and what role climate change plays in this decision making.

The Master of Development Practice (MDP) is empowering the next generation of global development professionals. This one-year, course-based program prepares graduates to identify and address the challenges of extreme poverty and sustainable development. In their final term, MDP students can enroll in DEVP 611 – Field Placement. Students spend four months contributing to the development field, working with a local community partner on a particular development challenge. This year, three students completed DEVP 611, including Talia Rodriguez and Lina Nassir.

Data is an essential element of effective decision-making. In the Planning profession, data sovereignty and data governance are components of ethical data stewardship. Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDS) and Indigenous Data Governance (IDG) refer to the rights of Indigenous communities to govern and manage the data that pertain to their people, land and culture. Currently, there are no guidelines for IDS or IDG in the Planning profession. Emma O’Reilly, a member of the Metis Nation of Alberta and a Master of Arts student in the School of Planning, completed a cross-disciplinary review of IDS and professional Planning practice.

The Masters of Future Cities (MFC) is empowering its students with competency in futures and system thinking and foresight methods to tackle the complex challenges of cities and urban areas. In May, MFC and other graduate students had the opportunity to come together for the inaugural offering of FCIT 610: International Field School. The course includes travel to an international city that exemplifies innovative, resilient strategies to prepare for a changing world. This year, the city was Singapore.