News

As a second-year MSc student in the Rural Planning and Development program, I’ve already had many outstanding opportunities to apply what I’ve learned in the classroom to the “real world”. My thesis project, supported by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MOECP), has served as a gateway to such opportunities. Specifically, through the onsite wastewater industry. My work focuses on best management practice development for mandated reinspection programs for onsite wastewater systems within the Lake Simcoe watershed.

How do you share academic research conducted by graduate students with local practitioners and local leaders to make sure findings and recommendations are put into action? Bridging this divide is always challenging, however, the recent Rural Talks 2 Rural Conference mastered this connection! 

The Farm Radio program was revived in Blyth, Ontario during the 2018 Rural Talks 2 Rural Conference! Farm Radio Forum was a weekly CBC Radio program that aired from 1941-1965. The radio program highlighted agricultural developments, techniques, and provided education to farmers across Canada.

The newly installed art sculpture entitlted “The Hand-Off’ has been installed at University of Guelph's Alumni Stadium which was created by MLA grad Robert Cram of Robert Cram Workshop.   

Valencia Gaspard, PhD candidate in Rural Studies in the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, was elected President of the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation at the recent Health and Shared Prosperity Conference in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation is a national charitable organization devoted to empowering rural communities, leaders, and researchers.

The School of Environmental Design and Rural Development was well represented at the recent Health and Shared Prosperity: Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation Conference in Saskatoon. The conference brought together community leaders, government policy makers, students, and researchers from across Canada and internationally to share research and community initiatives in rural development. 

The following SEDRD students contributed presentations to the conference: 

Emily Bowerman is a graduate student in the Master’s of Rural Planning and Development at the University of Guelph.  She is exploring the ways that practitioners reflect Te Ao Maori (Maori Worldview) in waterscape design and planning in New Zealand. Emily is working under the supervision of Dr. Sheri Longboat (University of Guelph).  

Kia Ora from New Zealand!

​​On October 2, 2018, Dr. Ryan Gibson testified to members of House of Commons Finance Committee. The Finance Committee was conducting pre-budget consultations. In particular, the Finance Committee wanted to know how the federal government might support and encourage communities and businesses to grow the economy. Dr.

We are about a month into the Fall 2018 semester and academic year and SEDRD celebrates more changes with several new faces on the administrative and faculty fronts.

Hilary Sadowsky is a graduate student in the Master’s of Rural Planning and Development at the University of Guelph.  She is working on a research project that aims to explore the roles of environmental researchers in enhancing scientific literacy for Inuit youth in Nunavut.  Hilary is working under the supervision of Dr. Nicolas Brunet, who obtained a SSHRC grant making this research project possible, and with guidance from Dr. Sheri Longboat (University of Guelph) and Dr. Dominique Henri (Environment and Climate Change Canada).