Professor and Director, Economic Development Program

Contact Information
pparker@uwaterloo.ca
519-888-4567, ext. 42791
EVO 1003/Ev3 4259
Professor Paul Parkers research focuses on building sustainable communities by creating win-win opportunities for the environment and economy. He is particularly concerned with how local economic development strategies can achieve a sustainable future. Sustainable energy systems are an essential starting point, so he looks first at conservation and improving energy efficiency, then at renewable energy sources and smart grid networks as integral parts of community energy plans. Pauls research interests include sustainable energy policy, sustainable community development and the green economy, residential retrofits and low-carbon futures.
Courses Taught
- ECDEV 601/GEOG 685: Economic Development Theories and Frameworks
- ECDEV 602: Economic Development Policy and Practice
- GEMCC 603/GEOG 679: Climate Change Mitigation
- INDEV 606/GEOG 669/ERS 619: Energy and Sustainability
- Geog 459: Energy and Sustainability
Selected Publications
- Edwards, C.A.*, Parker. P. 2022. Flight school perceptions of electric planes for training. International Journal of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. 16 (1); https://publications.waset.org/10012393/pdf
- Mercer, N.,* Hudson, A., Martin, D., Parker, P. 2020. “That’s Our Traditional Way as Indigenous Peoples”: Towards a Conceptual Framework for Understanding Community Support of Sustainable Energies in NunatuKavut, Labrador. Sustainability, 12 (15), 6050; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12156050
- Mercer, N.,* Parker, P., Hudson, A., Martin, D. 2020. Off-grid energy sustainability in Nunatukavut, Labrador: Centering Inuit voices on heat insecurity in diesel-powered communities. Energy Research and Social Science, 62 (April) 101382; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2019.101382
- Karanasios, K.,* Parker, P. 2018. Explaining the diffusion of renewable electricity technologies in Canadian remote indigenous communities through the technological innovation system approach. Sustainability. 10 (11), 3871, 1-28; https://doi.org:10.3390/su10113871
- Lazowski, B.,* Parker, P., Rowlands, I. 2018. Towards a smart and sustainable residential energy culture: Assessing participant feedback from a long-term smart grid pilot project. Energy, Sustainability and Society. 8:27. 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13705-018-0169-9
Degrees
- Ph.D - Economic Geography, London School of Economics, London, 1990
- Graduate Diploma- International Law, Australian National University, Canberra, 1986
- M.A. - Geography, Australian National University, Canberra, 1982
- B.A. - Geography, Mount Allison University, New Brunswick, 1979
- B.Sc. - Biology, Mount Allison University, New Brunswick, 1979