The Faculty of Environment, formerly the Faculty of Environmental Studies, is one of six faculties at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The Faculty of Environmental Studies was created in 1969 to bring together both built environment and natural environment disciplines. From 1969 to 1998, the Faculty of Environmental Studies was composed of the Department of Environment and Resource Studies, Department of Geography, School of Architecture and School of Urban and Regional Planning. As a whole and within these units, the Faculty concentrated on using diverse knowledge and methods from different disciplines to understand human relationships with both built and natural environments. The Faculty utilized the best of traditional teaching methods combined with innovative techniques to explore the many contemporary issues in environmental studies. Architecture and Urban and Regional Planning were professional schools and, therefore, were vocation oriented. Through the Faculty of Environmental Studies, they were integrated into the mainstream of the University's concern with humankind and the environment, through the two main thrusts of research and practical applications. The academic departments, Environment and Resource Studies and Geography, had the interaction of people with the environment as their core. Both the Environment and Resource Studies and Geography Departments were interdisciplinary in nature and interacted with many fields of study and research from the Arts, Science, Social Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering. One of the innovative aspects of the Faculty of Environmental Studies was the high degree of interaction among its four units. Faculty members in each School or Department participated in the programs of the other units. Interaction with other parts of the University was also fostered, and joint appointments of faculty members with other Faculties and Schools/Departments had been made. Students were not only free to, but were encouraged to, choose courses from across the whole University. Over the past two decades, the initiative has transformed from its humble but aspirational origins to becoming Canada’s largest Faculty of Environment by including programs beyond the traditional disciplines. It has been home to nearly 16,000 alumni who now live in more than 80 countries around the globe, including ecologists, geographers, knowledge integrators, and planners, as well as experts in economic development, environmental governance, geomatics, green business, policy analysis, sustainability, and tourism–all connected by a shared sense of purpose and values. Throughout its history, the Faculty of Environment has been dedicated to creating a positive impact locally and globally by focusing on human-environment interactions; and our community of students, faculty, alumni, donors and staff make meaningful change happen in the classroom, the workplace, and in communities across Canada and around the world. The Faculty of Environment consists of three buildings: EV1, EV2 and EV3. EV3 was the most recent addition, and consists largely of the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development and the School of Planning, as well as a lecture hall. The newly constructed building has obtained LEED Platinum status. As part of this certification, there are many green features that conserve energy and resources. From a two-story high living wall to a constructed wetland that deals with wastewater to solar panels and energy efficient technology, Environment 3 was built with sustainability in mind.
Programs
The faculty has grown significantly since its establishment, having become one of Canada’s largest centres for environmental research and teaching. The Faculty offers undergraduate programs in:
Professional Development in Economic Development Program
Currently matriculating 1,100 undergraduate students, 200 graduate students, and 50 faculty members, the Faculty is growing in both undergraduate and graduate enrollment. Co-op education, whereby students alternate 4 months in school with 4 month paid work terms in jobs relating to their program, is a major feature of the Faculty. Co-op students can graduate with nearly 2 years of paid work experience.
Research
The faculty's research centres and groups include: Interdisciplinary Centre on Climate Change, Adaptation and Impacts Research Group, Ecological Restoration Group, Ecoplan China, Heritage Resources Centre, Parks Research Forum of Ontario, Sustainable Energy Research, Transportation Research Group, Waterloo Laboratory for Earth Observations, and the Water Policy and Governance Group.
Student life
Students in the Faculty of Environment are represented by the Environment Students Society which has many roles including event planning, student space improvements, management of a student coffee shop, and representing student interests on various boards within and outside of the Faculty. Additionally, all students pay into the Waterloo Environment Students Endowment Fund which has approved over $500,000 in student-led projects to improve student life. Each program within the faculty has their own student association that organizes social and academic events for students within the program, with the association presidents answering to ESS. These societies are:
