News

Congratulations to Samantha Bray, a PhD student in Geography and Environmental Management, for winning the P.E.O. Scholar Award to advance her research focusing on destination stewardship, where public, private and civil sectors collaborate to protect the existing community and environment.

The Government of Canada’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) recently announced new grant recipients, with 12 Faculty of Environment researchers awarded funding. Congratulations to Amelia Clarke, Cameron McCordic, Janice Barry, Andrea Collins, Michelle Rutty, Steffanie Scott, Jason Thistlethwaite, Julie Bernard, Leia Minaker, Joe (Zhu) Qian, Stephen Quilley and Nancy Worth. 

Stephanie Saal, a PhD candidate in the Department of Geography and Environmental Management, is researching how snowpack impacts key ecological relationships, and how best to collect this information at a watershed level. In recognition of her academic achievements and innovative research, Saal has been awarded the 2026 Weston Family Award in Northern Research. Valued at $120,000 over three years, the award is presented to outstanding doctoral students across Canada. Saal was one of eight recipients, placing her among the country's emerging leaders in Northern research.

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Jeff Casello will step in as the Interim Director of the School of Planning. Join us in welcoming him and thanking the former Director, Dr. Mark Seasons, for his service.

This spring, four MFC students participated in FCIT 610 - International Field School, travelling to Singapore to explore what is possible when strategic foresight is integrated into urban planning. Lead by Eryn Stewart, the Managing Director of the Future Cities Institute, students were challenged to critically evaluate how Singapore’s strategies could be adapted to Canadian context.

Chilika Lagoon, located on the Eastern coast of Bay of Bengal in India, is a biodiversity hotspot that is home to over 200 fish species. Natasha Serrao, a recent PhD graduate from the Social and Ecological Sustainability program, researched the intersection of fisher knowledge and scientific data to understand species importance in the region. 

Milk is a cornerstone of Canadian diets and a regularly purchased item at the grocery store. Alexander Cha, a recent graduate of the Master of Environmental Studies in Sustainability Management, quantified the environmental impacts of various milk packaging options being used in Canada.

On May 21, you can help create life-changing opportunities for students, fuel bold ideas from our faculty and researchers, and strengthen the learning experiences that define Waterloo.

Global biodiversity is in rapid decline, with an estimated 1 million species at risk of extinction. The Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR), which came into effect in 2024, sets binding targets for European countries to restore at least 30% of their continent’s land and seas by 2030. The NRR narrowly passed into law and faced significant opposition, driven by a widespread campaign of disinformation through social media and other channels. Now that the regulation is in effect, effective implementation will not occur without a stakeholder engagement strategy. Florencia Panizza, a recent graduate from the Master of Environment and Business, identified stakeholder collaboration approaches for the French agricultural sector to support the implementation of the EU Nature Restoration Regulation.

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.