The MA in Sustainability Studies provided me with the skills, knowledge, and critical perspective needed to address complex global environmental challenges, with a particular focus on biodiversity conservation. Through the program, I explored both Eurocentric and Indigenous approaches to wildlife protection in my thesis research, gaining a deeper understanding of how different knowledge systems can inform more inclusive and effective conservation strategies.
This postgraduate experience complemented my background in Natural Resources Management by immersing me in Canada’s environmental landscape, regulatory frameworks, and practical approaches to mitigating the impacts of human activities. The program has directly shaped my professional path and continues to inform my work as an Environmental Advisor within a Canadian mining operation, where I support responsible development and environmental mitigation efforts. -Samuel Afutor
I completed the Master of Sustainability Studies (MA SS) program in 2024. My time in the program deepened my understanding of sustainability through interdisciplinary learning and research. My work focused on food insecurity among newcomers in Toronto, exploring the social and structural factors affecting access to food. The program equipped me with valuable research, critical thinking and community engagement skills that continue to shape my academic and professional journey. -Obed Asamoah
Chris Magwood
Founder of the Endeavour Centre and Builders for Climate Action! Chris Magwood has designed and built innovative buildings in North America, including a straw bale home which became a 15 year research project into the implementation of sustainable building materials and technologies. "I'm obsessed with making better buildings for people and the planet. Zero net energy. Zero carbon. Zero toxin. Zero waste buildings." Supervisor: Stephen Hill
Sara Deris
I completed my MRP examining the impacts of community-based environmental and Indigenous Knowledge education. I am currently a doctoral student at York University and a course instructor at Trent University. The MASS program encourages a level of interdisciplinary study that is unique; this provides a strong foundation from which to pursue further academic study, the workplace, or entrepreneurship. I credit the MASS program's amazing faculty and administration for my success, as well as the personalization that the program encourages. I worked throughout my time in the program, was parenting a toddler during a pandemic, and still achieved my goals thanks to the support I received from MASS faculty, staff, and fellow students. I came to the MASS program after a break from academia and felt unsure of my place, but in addition to research and theoretical knowledge, I gained the confidence and communication skills I needed to pursue a PhD.
Rebecca Spence
Becca Spence graduated from Sustainability Studies in 2021 after successfully defending her thesis titled, "Wetland Offsetting: Emergent Protocols and Techniques for Prioritizing Site-Specific Wetland Services." Becca's research included the review of existing wetland compensation projects, policies, and guidelines, with a case study on the Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA), ultimately making the recommendation for a move towards increased strategic wetland offsetting policy and guidelines within Ontario. Her work included the creation of the SWOSSS Card (Strategic Wetland Offsetting Site Selection Score Card).
Becca was hired as a Planning Ecologist Technician with the Credit Valley Conservation Authority (CVC) in July 2020, covering a maternity leave, and was hired by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) in July 2021, where she continues her work as a Planning Ecologist I. This role includes reviewing report and construction plans submitted as part of route planning, permit, and environmental assessment applications; providing clear, concise, technical advice, in accordance with prescribed delivery standards, to development and environmental assessment planners to ensure compliance with the TRCA's programs, policies, and regulation requirements; the identification of regulated features, such as watercourses and wetlands, and the delineation of the limits of natural features in the field; providing ecological interpretation of aquatic and terrestrial natural heritage information and providing technical assistance to internal staff implementing erosion, ecological restoration, and TRCA land management projects, along with participating in TRCA program development and other strategic initiatives. It includes collaborative work with internal staff and positively and productively engaging with development proponents, municipal partners, consultants, and contractors. She hopes to continue her work with TRCA in the future, learning from her teammates and experiences, and growing with the organization.
Becca attributes her success in her role as a Planning Ecologist to Trent's Sustainability Studies program, particularly the excellent guidance and knowledge received by the faculty members. "This program gave me the ability to improve my critical thinking and research skills while bolstering my understanding of community-based issues and their impacts and solutions on local and landscape scales. Highly recommend." Supervisor: Tom Whillans
Mystaya Touw
My experience in the MASS program helped me to further develop skills in research, project management, and facilitation. Water resources have always been an area of interest for me, in-keeping with that interest, my thesis project centered around shoreline stewardship in Ontario's cottage country. A few month after defending my thesis I started working for a conservation authority on year long contract. The skills I was able to demonstrate and improve on throughout my time in MASS, as well as my area of study, were an asset to obtaining that position. Now, a year and a half after defending my MASS thesis, I am a permanent employee at that same organization. My job centers around protecting municipal drinking water supplies from pollution at their source. It involves researching the impacts of provincial policy changes, proposing local policy updates, writing and revising core program documents, managing long-term projects, meeting facilitation, committee presentations, and public engagement. Supervisor: Tom Whillans
Amber Colibaba
Since graduating from the Masters of Arts in Sustainability Program in 2018, I now work full-time as the Research Coordinator of the Rural Aging Research Program at Trent - a research program that works towards building new knowledge, collaborations and capacity aimed at better understanding and informing how rural communities are responding to population aging. In addition to my Research Coordinator role, I have worked as a co-instructor in the Research Approaches, Methods and Experiences (SUST5002) course from 2019-2020 and I currently work part-time as the Administrative Coordinator of the Trent Centre for Aging & Society. Supervisor: Mark Skinner
Sarah Healey
Upon graduation, I was successful in launching my corporate career in Human Resources. In this capacity I use the techniques and knowledge obtained throughout the Sustainability Studies program to provide alternative lenses when dealing with people in business. Being able to pivot and adapt to the changing climate has been vital within my career. From retaining top talent during the “Great Resignation” to maintaining a safe and productive work environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most recently, I joined the team at Gauvreau CPA, where I’ve been able to use my experience within Sustainability Studies as my area of study was Entrepreneurship and Innovation. This directly aligns with the firms mission of supporting small businesses and the entrepreneurial community. I look forward to continuing my work supporting team members achieve their goals and advocating positive sustainable change. Supervisor: Asaf Zohar
Aleyah-Erin Lennon
I am a third-generation diasporic Irish descendant and white Settler Canadian who has lived my entire life in the territory of the Anishinaabeg in the Nayaano-nibiimaang Gichigamiin (the Great Lakes) region. I completed my masters in Sustainability Studies at Trent University, and both my Bachelor of Education as well as my Honours Bachelor of Outdoor Recreation, Parks, and Tourism at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, with specializations in Indigenous Studies, Environmental Science, and Outdoor Education. Throughout my academic career, I have been honoured to work with and for Indigenous communities in service of their research agendas and ecological and educational mandates.
In addition to my work in research and policy, I currently serve as a speaker, consultant, and embodied teacher sharing my knowledge in trauma-informed pedagogy and wellness strategies, environmental education, and Indigenous-settler relationship renewal. Please visit my website.
My M.A. thesis research, Unsettling Inner Landscapes: Critical Spirituality and the Poverty of Whiteness, storied my journey to decolonizing my settler sense of identity and belonging. I was supported through shared conversations and collective action by Anishinaabe-kweg with whom I work and learn from in community as part of the Sacred Water Circle, Nibi Emosaawdamajiig, and Community Voices for Manoomin in Nogojiwanong, Peterborough. Through an anti-colonial and trauma-informed lens, my goal has been to strategically inform my roles and responsibilities in healing the disconnection and abuses in what I term the trilogy of my relationships to self, others, and Land. Recovering a sense of my Celtic epistemology and story work is offered as a strategic exemplar of how settlers might begin to remember and co-create more balanced, respectful, and reciprocal relationships with and within place. Nurturing an embodied spiritual practice of deep listening, critical self-reflection, and collective action is discussed as potentially central to sustaining a decolonizing praxis for white settler Canadians more broadly. Supervisor: Lynne Davis
Leah Barrett
I chose Sustainability Studies after working in the apparel industry in several countries, and facing ethical dilemmas related to its grievous social and environmental practices.
For my field research, I interviewed Canadian design entrepreneurs who face great odds when producing sustainable fashion in Canada. I examined the potential their businesses have for growth, and the ripple effect they could have if external stakeholders recognize and respond with supportive measures. I also enquired about their user-centred design and craft practices, sustainable methods that are rendered financially unviable within current mass production and consumption business models.
Since attaining my degree, I have contributed to sustainable fashion curriculum development at George Brown College and I have advised the City of Toronto’s agenda for a circular economy. I serve on the board of CCS, a refugee settlement agency. I am an early researcher of sustainable fashion, reviewing and writing proposals for socio-cultural and environmental innovation. I contribute to public education, through workshops, webinars and other media on topics like extended clothing use, supply chain monitoring and legislating goods made using forced labour. Supervisor: Asaf Zohar
Jessica Correa
From my early teenage years working at a fast food restaurant, I witnessed first-hand the amount of waste produced by our affluent society. My keen interest in environmental issues matured as the years passed, and I decided to target my passion to promoting individuals to change their behaviour to be a little bit greener. Originally from Oakville, Ontario, I moved to Peterborough to begin my educational journey in Environmental Sciences/Studies at Trent University. I then completed my Master’s Degree in Sustainability Studies from Trent University.
While attending university, I worked for Algonquin Provincial Park, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, and the County of Peterborough Waste Management Department. These summer employment opportunities deepened my understanding of environmental issues and inspired me to search for and develop creative solutions.
I established the online marketing company - Random Acts of Green™. We advertise for our clients to highlight, endorse, and showcase environmental initiatives, using our educational, entertaining, engaging and empowering “Random Acts of Green” brand. We also offer consulting services to help our clients design sustainability strategies and ensure they are recognized for their efforts to green their organizations. Supervisor: Stephen Hill
Sara Fralin
Sara Fralin graduated from Trent University in 2014. Her graduate research investigated urban climate governance in the City of Vancouver. Strategic interviews with senior government officials identified critical success factors that drove the municipal government to develop a Climate Change Adaptation Strategy.
Sara joined Instream Energy Systems Corp in early 2015 as a Government Grant and Marketing Coordinator. Instream is a leading developer of hydrokinetic technologies and a growing renewable energy company. Sara is responsible for identifying all potential funding opportunities in North America, Asia and the European Union and coordinating funding proposals. She also maintains a global opportunity data base and plays a key role in Instream’s communications work around stakeholder relations and website development.
Sara holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and Environment Studies from the University of Victoria. She is a certified yoga instructor who loves the outdoors and spends her time camping and skiing in BC. Supervisor: Stephen Hill
Lawrence Keyte
Lawrence Keyte is a northern alternative energy specialist, interested in understanding Arctic and Indigenous energy issues from the community perspective, and the link between community involvement/ownership and successful sustainable energy projects and policy. He recently completed research contracts with Polar Knowledge Canada and with the Carleton Sustainable Energy Research Centre, where he co-authored a report titled “Report on the State of Alternative Energy in the Arctic”. His M.A. in Sustainability Studies at Tent focused on energy resilience, specifically success factors for northern Indigenous communities moving from fossil fuel dependence into more local, clean and autonomous energy futures. He currently works for the Institute of Science, Society and Policy at the University of Ottawa, where he researches Indigenous engagement in energy planning, provision and development. Supervisor: Chris Furgal
Jenn McCallum
Since graduating from the M.A. Sustainability Studies program, I have been working as the Environmental Technician for the Otonabee Region Conservation Authority. In this role, I take water samples to monitor water quality, and I'm involved in education and outreach with school children and property owners explaining how natural shorelines can benefit water quality. My Master's research explored rural landowners' motivations for restoring wetlands on their property. Creating or restoring wetlands on rural properties is less common than tile draining, the more likely approach to dealing with wet sections of farm fields. Supervisor: Stephen Bocking
Janet Knight
My work is in the area of social and cultural sustainability, particularly in Northern and Indigenous communities. My interest in sustainability developed through personal and professional experience, witnessing the effects of planning without thorough consideration of socio-cultural impacts.
Particularly in Indigenous communities, change manifests in loss of traditional lifestyles, cultural health and social stability and represents an ongoing legacy of communities’ separation from the land in which they are culturally embedded. There must be a thorough understanding of the socio- cultural principles underlying sustainability in the particular context. Evaluating sustainability on economic or environmental terms alone may actually serve to undermine sustainability, as social and cultural factors inform interaction with the natural environment and determine community capacity for adaptation to change. I completed my Sustainability Studies degree at Trent in 2014. My thesis, “Dimensions of Socio- Cultural Sustainability: Perspectives of Hopedale, Nunatsiavut (Labrador)” was associated with the ‘Valued Places and Spaces’ project, under the Nunatsiavut SakKijânginnatuk Nunalik (Sustainable Communities) Initiative in cooperation with the Nunatsiavut Government and the five Inuit communities of northern Labrador.
Since graduating, I have continued my work as a Research Assistant with the Nasivvik Centre for Inuit Health and Changing Environments, doing fieldwork in Labrador and Nunavut associated with studies around food security and contaminants in wild foods. I’m also part of the Health, Environment and Indigenous Communities Research Group at Trent. In September 2015 I moved to Vancouver to begin studies in the School of Community and Regional Planning, specializing in Indigenous Communities Planning. Supervisor: Chris Furgal
Allyson Brown
I passionately believe in the benefits that having a relationship with nature brings and contributes to ones’ later understanding of sustainability. For this reason, I studied the importance of integrated outdoor and environmental education programs within an Ontario district school board. During my graduate studies, I had the opportunity to be a moderator at the A.D. Latornell Conservation Symposium and present at conferences including Ontario Society for Environmental Education (OSEE), Environmental Studies Association of Canada (ESAC) and Canadian Network for Environmental Education and Communication (EECOM) as well as participate in Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF) meetings. Currently, I am an outdoor education faculty with Upper Canada College at the Norval Outdoor School. I am also the President of the Council of Outdoor Educators of Ontario (COEO). I believe that the knowledge of organizational development principles, practices and theories gained through the Sustainability Studies program have assisted me in leading a non-profit organization with approximately 300 members. Supervisor: Paul Elliott
Geoff Eve
Being part of the inaugural year of the Masters in Sustainability Studies program, allowed myself and other students the ability to work together with faculty to help design build the program into something that we and future students could benefit from in our later research and career endeavours. Notably for me, because the program has such a diverse field of topics, many perspectives from academia are shared. The connection between faculty, guest speakers, and students became so close in our initial year that we regularly met together for social events where we supported each other and shared ideas. Those of us who have graduated continue to interact with students who have been or are new to Sustainability Studies, and provide guidance.
During my time in the Masters in Sustainability Studies program, my research interests included business ethics theories and the ethical dilemmas pertaining to sustainability and stakeholder issues. My thesis, "Sustainability Reporting in the Oil Sands: A Narrative Analysis of Energy Company Approaches to Sustainable Development" analyzed the messages pertaining to sustainability being delivered through the corporate reports to stakeholders. Much of the ethics material I gathered during my research has assisted me in providing and teaching an informative and interesting course in Business Ethics to students at Trent as a Course Instructor. Currently, I am teaching Business Ethics, and Human Resources at Trent in the Business Administration department, in both Peterborough and Oshawa. Supervisor: John Bishop
Jane Gray
The Masters in Sustainability Studies program was invaluable in researching sustainable practices in the area of government policy. It enabled me to produce a thesis that incorporated academic theory, the words of Indigenous scholars and interviews with policy practitioners from Canada, the United States and Europe. Based on my own policy background, the results were insightful in highlighting the importance of collaboration across diverse groups of people and the importance of environment playing a foundational role in decision-making.
Jakub Misiek
The Masters in Sustainability Studies program allowed me to bring my passion of sustainable building into my research on social entrepreneurship, where I studied a group of passionate builders pushing for better ways of building to be accepted more widely. As an ethnographic researcher, I worked with this group to build a house using sustainable practices and innovative technologies. After a summer of observing and interviewing these builders, I wrote my Major Research Paper on these builders: “Social Entrepreneurship in the Building Industry.” I kept my hands-on nature while completing an important academic project for the progress of sustainable building through a social science perspective.
The Sustainability Studies program at Trent University was quite an enriching experience. Having colleagues from diverse backgrounds enhanced our reflections and discussions on sustainability related items, permitting us to look at our own research interests from a different perspective. I also had the opportunity to take part in the Indigenous Community at Trent, learning to view sustainability related issued from an Indigenous perspective. This is invaluable to the sustainability discourse today as we strive for a better world for our future generations.
I am currently being trained as an eco-advisor at the University of Quebec in Chicoutimi (UQAC) in a yearlong intensive Eco-advising program. Our formation includes real life projects, such as giving classes to high school students to raise awareness on sustainable development issues and writing articles that are published. We also organized a week long event that included a conference on sustainable building, where we were responsible for gathering the required people and resources for every planned activity. I will be doing an internship of 600 hours as an eco-advisor for any organization, institution or even government. This will start off my career so that I could make a living while striving to make changes to the way things are done so that sustainability is at the forefront of our actions. I intend to work on sustainable design and construction projects on the side as well as working with the youth towards a more sustainable future. I will be working as a “Storyteller” during the next IMPACT! Youth Sustainability Conference in May 2014. The role of a storyteller will be to capture the essence of this four-day conference in a written and media captured story. Myself, I have taken part in this conference, held by The Cooperators, back in 2011, connecting me to over 160 other students passionate bout sustainability from all across Canada. Supervisor: Stephen Hill
Brianna Salmon
Brianna Salmon is presently the Manager of Transportation and Climate Change at GreenUP, a local environmental nonprofit organization. For the past five years, she has worked in partnership with local government and community agencies to develop policies and programs that support a transition to active and efficient modes of transportation.
Brianna completed her Masters in Sustainability Studies at Trent while continuing her employment with GreenUP, which is located in downtown Peterborough. Her research focus was Transportation Demand Management (TDM) planning, and completing her studies at Trent while maintain her work connections in the community allowed her to translate her research findings into practice immediately. While at Trent, Brianna was also awarded an NSERC-funded MITACS internship, which she completed with the City of Peterborough. The research completed during this internship sought to better align cycling initiatives and infrastructure being developed at Trent with those being undertaken by the City.
In addition to her work at GreenUP, Brianna is also the Chair of the Peterborough Community Bike Shop Board of Directors, the Vice-Chair and a founding member of the Peterborough Bicycle Advisory Committee, the Chair of the Active and Safe Routes to School Peterborough Partnership, and the Vice-Chair of the Endeavour Centre for Sustainable Building. Since completing her MA, Brianna has presented her research at a number of national and international transportation conferences. She continues to engage in ongoing research initiatives on behalf GreenUP in projects facilitated by the Trent Center for Community-Based Education. Supervisor: Stephen Hill
Emily McCullogh
My experience at Trent University in the Masters in Sustainability program provided a robust theoretical and practical foundation that has supported my work and learnings in a plethora of academic fields. My MA thesis examined the relationships between aid workers and aid recipients in post-earthquake Haiti through the lens of philosophical care ethics. The prioritization of interdisciplinary scholarship within the MASS program enabled my exploration of the intersections between critical social, environmental, and philosophical issues. Confronting the ‘wicked problems’ underpinning the lives of humans on both global and local scales is a strength of the MASS program and I am eternally grateful for the compassionate and knowledgeable guidance provided by the MASS faculty during my time at Trent.
Upon completing MASS in August 2012, I spent two years heavily involved with youth competitive volleyball in Ontario. It was during this time that my academic interests shifted towards examining the ‘wicked problems’ within sport broadly, and within the Canadian youth sport context specifically. Armed with a comprehensive set of practical and analytical tools, I embarked on a doctoral project at York University that examined the experience of care and caring within the context of youth competitive volleyball through a socio-philosophical lens. The skills honed in the social sciences and humanities through the MASSS curriculum provided me with the confidence to pursue this degree in sport sociology.
Currently, I hold the position of Postdoctoral Fellow at York University and my work has further expanded to include injury prevention in the context of road safety and the built environment. This work has provided me with the opportunity to apply my learnings in practical ways by collaborating with public health and transportation professionals who are dedicated to improving the lives of human beings. With the goal of increasing rates of safe and active transportation, my work has circled back to the fundamental learnings I gained during my time in MASS.
Sprouting from roots established and nurtured during my time in MASS, a motivational thread woven throughout my work is the well-being and care of human beings as they navigate social, physical, and environmental worlds. Once again, I extend my deepest gratitude to Trent University and the MASS program for their inspiration, support, and guidance. Supervisor: Kathryn Norlock