Sustainability was the focus for the University of Guelph team that competed recently at the inaugural Alberta Energy Challenge in Edmonton.  A team of College of Management and Economics students recently returned from representing the University of Guelph at the Alberta Energy Challenge in Edmonton. The inaugural AEC aimed to bring together top commerce students from across North America and provide them with an opportunity to further develop and explore their interests in energy and the environment. The event was hosted by the University of Alberta’s School of Business and the Commerce Energy and Environment Group.

The CME team took the unique approach of making sustainability central to its proposal, with a focus on encouraging socially responsible investing within the energy sector. In particular, the Guelph group looked at the role of water recycling and carbon capture and sequestration as key ways to improve the sustainability of petroleum production.

CME faculty coordinator Dr. Elizabeth C. Kurucz, an assistant professor in organizational behaviour and sustainable commerce, commended the students for their efforts.

“Even though they didn't win they did such a phenomenal job preparing for this event,” Kurucz said. “I put them through their paces all summer long. We had several sessions about strategy and sustainability along with lots of conversations in between and numerous experts in the field and academics that I connected them with to prepare for the competition.”

To prepare the students, Kuruz enlisted the help of Kevin McDermott, a PhD student in CME’s Organizational Leadership program.

McDermott, a former manager of strategic partnerships for Research In Motion, was impressed by the students’ dedication and with the level of competition at the AEC.

“I was extremely impressed with the amount of sacrifice and personal effort the students put into preparing themselves for the Alberta Energy Challenge case competition,” McDermott said. “They all lead very busy lives, so devoting time to training and preparation in their summer and during the first week of school was commendable.”

“AEC brought together some of the best minds from business schools around North America, and provided our team not only with insight into case analysis, strategy formulation and persuasion skills, but also left them with some great memories and friends.”