TD Walter Bean Professorship in Environment

We are proud to welcome Professor Denis Aheto as the TD Walter Bean Professor for 2024

Building the knowledge and skills necessary for society to address complex environmental issues, the TD Walter Bean Professorship aims to attract top international research professors on the environment to campus to give public lectures, teach classes, and meet with professors and students. Described as a "fitting testament" to the late Walter Bean’s legacy of community involvement and commitment to youth, education and community, the professorship is made possible thanks to the generosity of TD Canada Trust and their commitment to building a sustainable future together with their partners.

This year, from March 4 to 8, Professor Aheto will be visiting the Faculty of Environment and will deliver two lectures on Africa's Plastic Revolution. We hope you will join us to learn about advancing global solutions for healthy oceans.

Africa's plastic revolution: advancing global solutions for healthy oceans. Picturing a bottle floating in the ocean.

Despite worldwide initiatives and efforts, the amount of plastic entering aquatic ecosystems is increasing at an alarming rate, choking our oceans with tonnes of waste. But plastic pollution is only one factor threatening marine ecosystems, biodiversity, livelihoods, economies and human health. In this lecture, Dr. Denis Aheto will discuss a holistic approach to caring for the world’s oceans, lakes and rivers. Using examples from African countries, he will explore how the global community can transform the challenges facing our oceans into opportunities for growth, bolster sustainable development and stimulate socioeconomic transformation.

Details and event schedules for Dr. Aheto's public lecture and high school lecture are now available. 

About the 2024 TD Walter Bean Professor

Dennis Aheto

Denis W. Ahetois a Professor of Coastal Ecology and Interdisciplinary Oceans Studies and Foundation Director of the Centre for Coastal Management - The Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR) at the University of Cape Coast. He holds PhD and MSc Degrees in Environmental Sciences and Tropical Aquatic Ecology respectively from the University of Bremen. He also holds an MSc. Degree in Rural Development from the Swedish Agricultural University. He earned his BSc (Hons) Degree from the University of Cape Coast. Professor Ahetois a distinguished scholar, with over 15 years of scientific project management experience. He is the authorized representative ofinstitutional donor funded projects in marine/coastal and fisheries management at the University of Cape Coast funded by the World Bank, African Union, USAID, DANIDA among others. He’s passionate about international academic partnerships in his area of professional work. He has an outstanding intellectual publication record in indexed journals on issues of coastal/marine ecosystem conservation, small-scale fisheries, marine spatial planning, wetlands ecology, and marine conflict issues. He serves on several national and international Boards including his role as technical advisor to West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program of the World Bank. He holds severalmeritorious awards for his contributions. 

Discover past lectures

Over the past three decades we have welcomed a number of outstanding research professionals from around the globe, including Dr. Shari Fox, Dr. Amber Wutich, and Dr. Julian Agyeman. Their lectures and many more are in our archives. 

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History of TD Walter Bean Professorship

The TD Walter Bean Professorship in Environment was founded in 1992 by the late Walter Bean, who was president of Waterloo Trust until its merger with Canada Trust in 1968. Since 1994, the professorship has promoted hands-on learning and a focus on youth, education and the environment. Formerly a partnership between the University of Waterloo's faculties of Engineering, Environment and Science, as of 2019, the Faculty of Environment will be the host of the TD Walter Bean Professorship in Environment.

Many of us are concerned about the world the next generation will inherit. That’s why our partners at TD Canada Trust, are committed to help create a more vibrant planet by continuing to grow and enhance green spaces for everyone to use. The Faculty of Environment is proud to use our unique position as a leading teaching and research institute for the environment to create sustainable solutions needed to address the complex challenges facing our world to bring you the TD Walter Bean Professorship and Public Lectures.

Thanks to generous support and sponsorship from TD Canada Trust, the Faculty of Environment continues its mission to raise awareness for global sustainability and offers an opportunity for our broader community including all Waterloo alumni, students, community members, and high school students from across Ontario to learn and understand how their decisions and actions affect the environment. With each lecture highlighting one or more of the United Nations' Sustainable Development goals, attendees are able to build the knowledge and skills necessary to address and unpack complex environmental issues.