Service

Service to the University and the broader community is an important part of the Teaching Stream at the University of Toronto.

POSITIONS HELD AND COMMITTEES/EVENTS WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY (past five years or so; some of these are ongoing)

Department/Program:

  • Director, UTM Environment Programs
  • Associate Chair, Department of Geography
  • Exam Jam for ENV100Y, JGE378H5, and ENV310H5
  • Environment Program Information Session and Alumni Panel
  • Geography-Environment Experiential Learning Information Session
  • Departmental Teaching Evaluation Committee (for Reappointment)
  • Reception for International Students
  • Consultation on Experiential Learning, St. George
  • Departmental Teaching Evaluation Committees (for Tenure Assessment)
  • Departmental Teaching Evaluation Committee (for Promotion to Full Professor)
  • New Student Orientation
  • UTM Teaching Excellence Award Committee
  • Department of Geography Workload Committee
  • Environment Programs – academic program counselling for students (Environmental Management, Environmental Science)
  • Environment Programs – curriculum and program planning

College:

  • Faculty Search Committees - Dean’s Representative
  • Reception for International Students
  • Active Learning Classroom Working Group
  • Academic Appeals Board
  • Committee on Standing
  • UDLES Revision Committee
  • Cross-Disiplinary Curriculum Mapping Working Group
  • Centre for Community Partnerships consultation at UTM
  • New Scholars Reception
  • Open Forum on Writing
  • Meet-the-Prof for Earth Science Department
  • Reception for Graduating Students
  • Chair, Experiential Learning Committee
  • “The Real Lives of…” Faculty-in-Residence, invited presentation, organized by Student Housing & Residence Life
  • Teaching-Learning Committee and First-Year Task Force
  • External Review Committee for MScSM Program
  • TA Training Program – presenter
  • Earth Hour Planning Committee
  • Environ-Olympics (student-run event)
  • UTM Head Start Academic Orientation for New Students – Presenter
  • New Faculty Mentor
  • Teaching Evaluation for Promotion Assessment

University:

  • Reviewer for LEAF (Learning and Education Advancement Fund) Grant Submission Review Team (chaired by Vice-Provost S. McCahan)
  • Reviewer for Submissions to the Teaching-Learning Conference (CTSI)
  • New Faculty Orientation – Table Head
  • Assessment Committee for Reappointment, Carol Rolheiser (Director, CTSI)
  • CTSI Consultation: Resource Development for Teaching-Specific Mentoring
  • Consultation on Online Learning and Pedagogy, project funded by the Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities (through CTSI, OUCI, and Carleton U.)
    • Identified as one of three “leaders” in online teaching at the University of Toronto
    • Interviewed as part of the development of Open Educational Resources that will be made available to other universities.
  • Online Student Evaluations Working Group - Consultation
  • Committee on Online Assessment
  • Ontario Universities' Fair representative
  • Online Learning Pilot Project and Online Undergraduate Course Initiative
  • President’s Teaching Academy
  • Promotion Assessment Committees

POSITIONS AND SERVICE OUTSIDE THE UNIVERSITY (past ten years or so; some of these are ongoing):

Environment Sector:

  • Book Reviewer - Oxford University Press and Routledge Environment and Sustainability/Development Studies Series
  • Ontario Trillium Foundation – Environment Sector Consultation (participant for OTF, July 31, 2014)
  • Weston Family Parks Challenge, Parks People – grant proposal evaluator, participant for the Ontario Trillium Foundation (March–April 2014) 
  • Sector in Conversation: Environment Sector – participant for Ontario Trillium Foundation (August 2012)
  • Environmental Career Organization (ECO) Canada – National Steering Committee for National Occupational Standards in Environmental Employment (Member, 2003-2004)
  • Board of Directors, EcoSpark (formerly Citizens’ Environment Watch) – Past President (Member, Board of Directors, 2003-2012)
  • Peel Environmental Network – Board of Directors, Founding Member (2002-2006)
  • Peel Environmental Youth Alliance – Founding Member (2005)
  • Region of Peel Eco-Fair – Invited “Expert” Mentor (2006)
  • Riverwood Garden Park – Steering Committee Member (2000-2002)
  • Riverwood Garden Park – Welcome Information and Nature Centre Advisory Committee (2006-07)
  • Peel “Eco-Buzz” Volunteer Presenter (2003, 2004)

Education/Youth Sector:

  • Youth Opportunities Fund (2013-2014, Vice-Chair, and  2014-2015, Co-Chair); a $5 million fund administered by the Ontario Trillium Foundation for the Government of Ontario Ministry of Youth and Child Services.
  • Weston Youth Innovation Award (2012) Judges Panel
  • Lorne Park Secondary School – Volunteer Presenter “How to Transition into University” (annual presentation, 2001-2009)
  • Princeton University Alumni Interviewer (2009, annual ongoing)
  • Association for Bright Children, Peel Chapter – Executive Member (1995-2005)
  • Peel District School Board Special Education Advisory Committee – Associate Member (1999-2004)
  • Member, Board of Trustees, Ontario Science Centre (1998-2004)
    • Member, Visitor Experience Committee
    • Member and Chair, Science Education Committee
  • Ontario Science Centre “March Break Ambassador” program – Volunteer (annual 1998-2004)
  • Ontario Science Centre “Earth & Space Science Week” – Guest Speaker (annual 1995-2004)

Heritage/Community Sector:

  • City of Mississauga Advisory Panel – Port Credit GO Station Area Master Plan Study (starting April 23, 2015)
  • Friends of Old Port Credit Village (FOPCV) Residents’ Advisory Committee – Founding Member (2006)
  • Lakeview Waterfront Connection – academic advisory committee (2013-2014)
  • VIVA Port Credit – Group Representative for FOPCV (2007-2012)
  • Town of Port Credit Association (TOPCA) – Member (ongoing)
  • Toronto Brigantine – Advisor to the Board of Directors (2006-2012)
  • Scouts Canada – Leader, 4th Port Credit (1997-2003)

Cross-Sectoral:

  • Board of Directors, Ontario Trillium Foundation (July 2009–July 2015)
    • Member and Vice/Co-Chair, Youth Opportunities Fund (2013-2015)
    • Member, Ad Hoc Committee, Weston Family Parks Challenge Committee (April, 2014)
    • Member, Ad Hoc Committee, “Developing a Theory of Change” (April, 2014)
    • Member, Governance Committee (2011-2015)
    • Member and Vice-Chair, Province-Wide Granting Committee (2009-2014)
    • Member, Future Fund Committee (2012-2013)
    • Member, Community Capital Fund Committee (2012-13)