Environment and Sustainability
Participating Faculties: Engineering, Science (Host) and Social Science
Project Coordinator: David Wardlaw
Total Project Funding: $560,000
Funding Period: 3 years
Abstract:
IDI funding has been allocated for development of a
proposed School of Environment & Sustainability at Western. The
idea for this project emerged from an Environmental Education Working
Group co-chaired by Robert Bailey (Director of Environmental Research
Western) and Dan Shrubsole (Chair of Geography), charged in 2005 by the
Provost with reviewing, redefining, and reinvigorating environmental
education and research at Western. The proposed School will combine
interdisciplinary graduate, undergraduate, and continuing education with
research activities in the area of environment and sustainability. It
will initially be co-managed by the Faculty of Science (the host
faculty), Faculty of Engineering, and Faculty of Social Science. Over
70 faculty members from the three participating Faculties as well as
several other Faculties have expressed interest in participating in
activities of the proposed School. IDI funding, combined with matching
contributions from the three participating Faculties, will be used as
seed money to appoint three inaugural faculty members (including a
Director) to the nascent school. This core group will coordinate the
development of an academic plan for the proposed school and, in due
course, a detailed proposal for the School of Environment &
Sustainability as an academic unit at Western. Initially, the proposed
School will incorporate the existing research centre, Environmental
Research Western, as well as the Graduate Program in Environment &
Sustainability, and the Undergraduate Program in Environmental Science.
Comprehensive, pan-Faculty interdisciplinary undergraduate programming
in the environment and sustainability will subsequently be developed.