Congratulations to several outstanding water colleagues being recognized with honorary degrees and distinctions at the University of Waterloo convocation ceremonies this week.
On Tuesday, June 14, Dianne Saxe will receive a Doctor of Environmental Studies, honoris causa, the highest honour conferred by the University, recognizing outstanding achievement through service to society.
Photo: Dianne Saxe
A friend of the Water Institute, Dianne delivered the Water Institute RBC Distinguished Lecture in September of 2020. For more than 45 years, she has been one of Canada’s leading environmental lawyers. She’s also an influential author, committed to keeping the public informed of their environmental rights and duties and the importance of addressing climate challenges. Saxe served as the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, where she provided extensive analysis of the government’s commitments to protecting the environment and engaged people in conversations about Ontario’s sustainable future.
“Every year, we confer honorary degrees on incredible individuals who have accomplished great things,” says Vivek Goel, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Waterloo. “We know our graduates will take inspiration from these individuals as they set out on their own paths of discovery.”
Photo: (L) Keith Hipel, (R) Raymond Legge.
On Saturday, June 18, Water Institute members Keith Hipel, Department of Systems Design Engineering and Raymond Legge, Department of Chemical Engineering, will receive the Distinguished Professor Emeritus designation, made to faculty members who have had a distinguished record of service in teaching and research in the University. Sincere congratulations from the Water Institute to professors Hipel and Legge on this outstanding achievement!
Photo: (L) Thelma Abu, (R) Water Institute member Susan Elliott.
Queen Elizabeth Scholar Advanced Scholar (QES-AS), Thelma Abu will also be recognized for innovative research and earning the highest academic status within the Faculty of Environment.
Thelma Abu (PhD ’22), knew she wanted to pursue her PhD in Health Geography at Waterloo partly because she wanted to work closely with her PhD advisor, Dr. Susan Elliott, an accomplished health geographer whom Abu shares a similar interest in water security research. Abu was also drawn by Waterloo’s reputation for research innovation and the Water Institute being ranked as one of the top research institutions globally.
Abu’s dissertation research focused on understanding the factors and processes that shape access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in healthcare facilities and the contribution of these services to emergency preparedness in health systems in Kisumu, Kenya.
Read more of Queen Elizabeth Scholar Advanced Scholar (QES-AS), Thelma Abu's story here.