Waterloo's Faculty of Environment

The convocation celebrations continue! Join us in congratulating the first recipients of the Environment Community Impact Award.

🎓 Bronze Medalists: Charles Cheng, Earl Mondaya, Hilary Element, Reka Somogyi

🍌 Silver Medalists: Amanda Ferguson, Bruno Bustos Alegria, Charlie Uebele, Oluwadamilare Faith Awoleye, Jack Salkeld

🐝 Gold Medalists: Katie Traynor, Liz Beach

This new award celebrates graduating Environment students who have given their time, energy and leadership to our Faculty, outside of academics. Over the last several years, these students have done incredible work to energize our community, welcome new students, strengthen institutional policies, implement new services and/or build inclusive and sustainable practices.

They were honoured on Tuesday at the Faculty of Environment Awards Ceremony. While they may be moving on to the next chapter, they leave behind a vast legacy and a better experience for the next generation of undergraduates 💚

For National Indigenous History Month, we are continuing our weekly spotlight series to celebrate the incredible Indigenous scholars and allies within our faculty. 🌿

This week, we are highlighting the work of Dr. Julie Bernard. Dr. Bernard’s research is defined by deep collaboration and meaningful partnerships with First Nations communities.

Most recently, her community-grounded research was featured as a chapter in Indigenous Management: Knowledge and Frameworks. This landmark textbook was built by the International Academy of Research in Indigenous Management and Organizational Studies (IARIMOS) community, bringing together over 100 contributors from six continents.

With authorship perfectly balanced between Indigenous scholars and non-Indigenous allies, the book—and Dr. Bernard’s work—centres on four vital pillars:

✨ The importance of Protocols
🌱 Connections to Place
📢 Elevating Political Voice
🤝 Community Accountability

Join us in celebrating Dr. Bernard’s commitment to research that honors traditional knowledge and fosters true collaborative partnership. View the paper through the link in bio! 💚

Join us in celebrating the outstanding undergraduate students who have received awards for their academic achievements: Emma LeCouffe, Abby La Chapelle, Campbell Bowser, Ealy Fong, Etsubdink Addis Kasu, Francesca Girmenia, Katie Croutch, Kirsi O’Quinn and Samuel Ferreira.🎓👏

Read about their next steps and their cherished Waterloo memories in the convocation story, linked in our bio. 🌱

For the third year in a row, the competition returned to campus. Ontario Envirothon is a unique, environmentally themed academic competition that offers budding environmental leaders a chance to explore education and career paths in the natural sciences. 🌱📚

The best part? It’s all at 😎

12 high schools teams from across the province brought their A-game and school spirit to tackle challenges in forestry, soils, aquatics, wildlife for this year’s current issue – non-point source pollution.🐟🍁🌱

A colourful conversation ✨

Earlier today, Dr. Katherine Perrott and Dr. Markus Moos hosted a Placemaking pop-up at the walkway between EV3 and St. Jerome’s.

With music and good vibes, this pop-up gave the community an opportunity to creatively express topics of well-being on campus through sidewalk chalk murals.

Classes, families, students, faculty and staff stopped by to leave their marks.

What are some ways you keep up your well-being on campus? 🌱

Last week we welcomed the Geography Honours Co-op Class of 1986 back to campus for a tour and a chance to reconnect with classmates, memories and the places that helped shape their journeys. 🗺️✨
 
Alumni explored campus, learned about the sustainability features of EV3, caught up on the latest news from their department and enjoyed a sneak preview of Kiinomaage-Aki (Land of Knowledge), a new Indigenous land-based teaching and learning space located at Columbia Lake.
 
This group travelled from across Canada and as far away as New Zealand to be together. Nearly 40 years later, their friendships and connection to Waterloo remain strong.
 
Thank you for spending the day with us and sharing your stories. 🌎🖤💛

What does advancing reconciliation look like in practice? 🤔

For National Indigenous History Month, we are celebrating the incredible people in the Faculty of Environment driving reconciliation forward.

First up: the medicine pouch workshops that were part of ENVigorate and Envirothon this year. Led by Amanda, the Indigenous Initiatives Manager in Environment, participants learned about traditional medicines while crafting their own pouches. It was a powerful way to engage with teachings centered on gratitude, reciprocity, and our relationship with the natural world. ✨

👉 Swipe to learn more and stay tuned all month as we share more stories for .

🎓While 2026 Convocation is right around the corner, Spring term sessions for 2027 grad photos are now open through the end of June. 

📸Whether you’re an undergrad and grad student finishing your studies in fall or winter, book your 2025 grad photos now so you can cherish this time for years to come! 

👉Note: sessions will also be available in the fall and winter terms. Visit link in bio to book!

Today we are kicking off celebrations for Pride and National Indigenous History Month with the re-raising of the Intersex- and Two-Spirit Inclusive Pride Flag 💚🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Activities will continue online and in person all month. Link in our bio for details.
Happy National Indigenous History and Pride month!