RPD grad Erin O’Neil was recently profiled by the University of Guelph’s Ontario Agricultural College. Erin, a 2007 graduate of the Rural Planning and Development program played a major leadership role when Fort McMurray, Alberta, was devastated by wildfires that forced more than 80,000 people from their homes in 2016.
The Landscape Architecture Foundation’s Olmsted Scholars Program (named for Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of American landscape architecture) recognizes and supports students with exceptional leadership potential who are using ideas, influence, communication, service, and leadership to advance sustainable design and foster human and societal benefits. Now in its eleventh year, the premier national award program recognizes outstanding students in accredited landscape architecture programs in the U.S. and Canada.
On December 5, 2018, Assistant Professor, Ataharul Chowdhury presented “Creating Change and Improving Lives: A Research Portfolio” to the meeting of Knowledge Translation and Transfer team (KTT), Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). He presented projects under three research themes and discussed linkages to various ongoing knowledge translation and transfer initiatives of OMAFRA. The participants commented that there are lots of interests around some of these areas of research.
Second year Capacity Development and Extension MSc candidate, Lavan Kandiah, recently published an article in the Journal of Ethics in Mental Health. The peer reviewed article was published November 30, 2018 regarding refugee mental health practices and treatment entitled "Refugee Mental Health - A Review of Literature, Practices and Recommendations". You can read the article on the JEMH Open Volume 10, 2017-2019 issue.
Dr. Ataharul Chowdhury participated as a key resource speaker in an International Roundtable Discussion (RTD). He was invited by the College of Development Communication (CDC), The University of Philippines, Los Banos ̶ a major school of thoughts in the field of Development Communication (DevCom).
Natalya Garrod is a graduate student in the Master’s of Rural Planning and Development, School of Environmental Designa and Rural Development at the University of Guelph. She is exploring how collaborative source water protection planning can act as an avenue for achieving water security on First Nations reserves in southwestern Ontario. Natalya is working under the supervision of Dr. Sheri Longboat (University of Guelph).
Graeme Reed, a SEDRD PhD Student and Senior Advisor with the Assembly of First Nations, is attending COP 24 - United Nations Climate Change Conference in Katowice, Poland for the next two weeks (December 6-13, 2018).
He is participating as a technical expert as part of the Canadian Delegation, spending equal parts of his time with Canadian negotiators and with the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC), advocating for the inclusion of Indigenous rights, knowledge, and action in the UNFCCC.
In October 2018, MSc in Planning student Emily Bowerman participated in the Unitec Institute of Technology 3min Graduate thesis speech competition presenting her thesis research titled Reflecting Bicultural Water Values in Waterscape Design and Planning.
On November 23, 2018, Professor Al Lauzon presented “Rural Health, Rural Wellbeing: Three population Challenges” to the Graduate Seminar, School of Pharmacy at the University of Waterloo. His talk was built around three research projects. During his talk he explored three populations and current health challenges they face: rural youth, seniors and the precariously employed in rural areas.
The Young Conservation Professionals (YCP) Leadership Program is a year-long personal and professional development program serving the conservation and environmental sector in Ontario, Canada.
The purpose of the YCP Leadership Program is to build capacity in the sector by helping the next generation of leaders to “step-up.” Key outcomes for participants include: