Past Events

The School of Environmental Design & Rural Development is pleased to invite you to a screening of Dr. Brian Doucet's film: Thinking Beyond the Market: A Film About Genuinely Affordable Housing.  The screening will take place on Thursday, February 5th, 2026, in the Landscape Architecture building lobby at the University of Guelph.  Film Screening: 5:30 to 7:00 pm

University of Guelph - Landscape Architecture Guest Lecture Series presents: Raymon Yim, Founder and Principal of Urbantypology Inc., Toronto, ON. Lecture title: Tales from a Startup Design Studio

On Tuesday, January 27, at 10:30 am in the pit, we will be having the first SEDRD Student-led Panel event! The topic is Generative AI and its impacts on education. We have five great panellists from a variety of backgrounds, including landscape architecture, rural planning, and development, who will be sharing their insights on how new Generative AI tools are impacting education. There will also be free snacks and audience participation activities.

The University of Guelph is creating a new garden on campus to commemorate the former DM Rutherford Conservatory, which will tell the story of the University of Guelph’s agricultural beginnings and the rich student memories made here.  The University recognizes the importance of preserving the spirit of the Conservatory while maintaining a public space open to all community members.

University of Guelph - Landscape Architecture Guest Lecture Series presents: Nick Onody, OALA, CSLA, ASLA.  Principal, Landscape Architect at O2 Planning and Design Inc., Toronto, ON. Lecture title: Fixed Ground, Fluid Futures

Join us online January 5, 2026 at 12.00pm for an opportunity to learn about graduate study options in Rural Planning and Development. Whether you are an undergraduate student considering graduate-level education or a professional seeking to strengthen your skills in planning, this open house provides an overview of our programs and pathways.

Natasha D’Souza, a PhD in Rural Studies candidate in the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, will defend their thesis on “Space, Place and Power: Case Study of Highly Skilled Talent and Governance Dynamics in The Bruce County Energy Sector.” Examination Committee: Dr. Wayne Caldwell, SEDRD,  Co-Advisor Dr. Ryan Gibson, SEDRD, Co-Advisor Dr. Sara Epp, SEDRD, Examiner Dr. Doug Ramsey, Brandon University, External Member Dr. Kearney Coupland, SEDRD, Chair of Examination

Rima Salih, a Capacity Development and Extension master's candidate in the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, will defend their thesis on “Carbon Sequestration in Riparian Buffer Systems as a Nature-Based Solution for Climate Change Mitigation.”

William Louis Helps, a Doctor of Philosophy - Rural Studies candidate in the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, will defend their thesis on “Migrant Stories, Industry Narratives:  A Critical Discourse Analysis on Migrant Labour in Canadian Agriculture.”

Charlotte Potter, a PhD Rural Studies candidate in the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, will defend their thesis on “Autopoiesis and Relationality in Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems: A Multi-Case Study Analysis.”