Certificate Spotlight Series
Explore this short series to gain insights from advisors mentoring students and hear about the experiences of students completing their Certificate in Sustainability.
Featured students and alumni
Meet some of the students who have earned Certificates in Sustainability and learn about their integrative projects.
Measuring social sustainability in affordable housing
Certificate in Sustainability alumna Meryn Severson puts social sustainability into practice at Capital Region Housing.
Sustainability bears fruit for ALES grad
For Nikki Way, setting up a campus farmers’ market in her first year was a taste of success that influenced the rest of her degree.
On the Front Lines of Urban Resilience
Certificate of Sustainability alumnus Ranon Soans is helping build stronger communities in Edmonton.
Protecting Heritage in the face of Climate Change
Certificate in Sustainability alumna Vada Antonakis headed back to school to connect the dots between heritage buildings and climate resilience.
Ashley Abrahart is a fourth year undergraduate student at the University of Alberta, planning to graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Honours Psychology in June 2023. She is excited to begin a job with Sustain SU starting this summer, as she is passionate about sustainability and its intersection with psychology and sociology.
Outside of this domain, Ashley works in Dr. Colbourne’s lab, studying treatments and therapies for stroke. Her integrative project for the Certificate of Sustainability focuses on how sustainable initiatives are often spearheaded by women, and the reasons and rationales behind this relationship.
Meghan Grenke (she/her) is in her final year of her Bachelor of Sciences degree with a major in Earth and Atmospheric Science and a minor in Mathematics. She has a special interest in atmosphere and climate modeling and has developed a passion for sustainability and a drive to learn about global innovative sustainable practices.
Stephanie Haeubl (she/her) is an undergraduate student at the University of Alberta earning a Bachelor of Science, majoring in both Biological Sciences and Psychology. She is passionate about the long-term sustainable management of the environment and economy and is a strong advocate for increasing accessibility to environmentally conscious options for everyone.
Meghan and Stephanie have been friends and classmates since childhood and have had the opportunity to collaborate on many projects. Their unique skill sets and educational backgrounds, augmented by the complementary partnership that they have built over the years, has led them to developing a shared integrative project for the Certificate in Sustainability. This project aims to provide a comprehensive overview of Ecobricks, their place in sustainable practices, and examples of their worldwide and local applications.
Please follow the link below to visit their integrative project on Ecobricks!
Veronica Leonard (she/her) is an undergraduate student at the University of Alberta currently wrapping up my Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Conservation Sciences with a major in Economics and Policy. For her Certificate in Sustainability (CIS) integrative research project, she conducted an interview with Leftovers, a non-profit organization that helps divert food waste. The environmental and social impacts of food waste are large-scale and preventable. Grassroots organizations like Leftovers promote a more sustainable and equitable future. We hope you enjoy this podcast interview with Suraya Hudson, the Director of Operations at Leftovers.
Dakota Sullivan (he/him) is a fifth-year undergraduate student majoring in Conservation Biology. During his post-secondary career, he has gained a strong interest in the management of fisheries and freshwater ecosystems.
“Sustainability in Alberta’s Trapping Industry” is an integrative project that examines the environmental, economic, and social pillars of the fur trapping industry in Alberta. It is designed as an informational piece to educate the public about actions taken in modern-day fur-bearer conservation.
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Rojine McVea (she/her) is an undergraduate student at the University of Alberta studying Immunology and Infection Hon. She is passionate about operational sustainability and learning about the intersections between gender, ecological sustainability, and health using a OneHealth lens.
For her integrative project, Rojine co-founded DishZero, a by-campus-for-campus initiative that offers reusable takeout containers and mugs for the campus community to borrow for free when purchasing from vendors on campus.
DishZero aims to reduce the single-use waste associated
with takeout dining on campus by providing a dish-sharing system that is as convenient to use as its disposable counterpart.
For more information, check out the following links:
Certificate in Sustainability Integrative Projects Playlist
Library of Integrative Projects
The integrative projects available for viewing have been provided by past graduates of the Certificate in Sustainability. Thank you to everyone who has shared their work!
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