Introducing a New Environment and Business Course!
We’re Designing a Cool, New Environment and Business Course
In Fall 2021, we’re introducing new Sprott course, Business and Environmental Sustainability II! It includes both undergraduate and MBA students that are dedicated to discussing sustainability challenges with industry experts. The course design team is taking an innovative bottom-up, grassroots approach to creating this course; students’ opinions will help shape the content. This summer, our team is surveying students and recruiting guest speakers to develop the impactful learning experience Sprott students seek. Imagine that! You can actually help create this course.
Tell Me About the Course Initiative
Business and Environmental Sustainability II Mission
Our mission is to delve into the complexity and intersectionality of sustainability issues by investigating environmental conundrums which challenge businesses and the inspiring leaders who seek innovative and radical solutions.
Business and Environmental Sustainability II Vision
Evoking creative thinking around pressing business and environmental sustainability challenges through a class-based speakers’ series.
Are You Serious and Curious About Sustainability?
To design a more impactful course, we pulled together a team of students and professors to develop this new course. We are surveying undergraduate and graduate students’ asking about challenges for business in industries like renewables, residential and commercial development, agriculture, chemicals, and mining. The survey will ask participants to rate their familiarity, and interest to the various topics. The results will indicate subjects of interest to students and areas students want to expand their knowledge. The results will shape the subjects discussed in the class by the speakers and the nature of the course assignments.
We Value Your Input
To contribute, please complete the survey. The survey will be open until June 14, 2021.
Please note the survey is now closed.
To join the class, register for BUSI 4901 Business and Environmental Sustainability II, for the fall 2021 semester.
Our Course Development Team
The Visionaries
Our team consists of two academics who worked diligently with Sprott to introduce this course, and two student researchers working to incorporate students’ values and ideas into the course.
Dr. Gary Martin
Dr. Gary Martin initially taught Sustainable Business Development and Organizational Resilience(BUSI 5108), now he is focusing on bringing more sustainability courses to students. His background includes 20 years of academic and practical study of urban development, housing, climate change and sustainability.
David Suzuki says the most important words in the English language are ‘I’m staying.’ To me it means I’m staying here to build community roots. I think when you set down roots, you are more likely to take care of the world.
Dr. Ruth McKay
Dr. Ruth McKay teaches Business and Environmental Sustainability I (BUSI 3119). She also researches waste management issues like the politics of landfill site searches and alternative waste options.
The tide is changing…soon we will be on the incoming wave. Gone are the days when businesses can ignore a company’s footprint. To quote Ray Anderson, “someday people like me will go to jail.”
Together, Dr. Martin and Dr. McKay have conducted research and published extensively on housing, adaptation and resilience and dedicated 11 years to advocating for educating students and industry leaders about environmental sustainability.
The Inspired Researchers
Taylor Morris and Noah Geens are two particularly persistent students who took Dr. McKay’s Business and Environmental Sustainability I (BUSI 3119) course and feel strongly about the need for Sprott to embrace environmental sustainability in business education. Supported by the Sprott Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (funded by the Sprott School of Business and the Provost’s Office) and the Students as Partners program (funded by Teaching and Learning Services) the two join Dr. Martin and Dr. McKay to design a course that interests students and pushes critical thought.
Taylor Morris
Taylor is entering her fourth year at the Sprott School of Business. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce, concentrating in management, with a minor in economics. With a longstanding passion for environmentalism and sustainability, Taylor has made a hobby out of researching these topics and is happy to continue researching these topics with this new purpose.
I am excited that Sprott is introducing this course. It is a slight change, but like that Dalai Lama quote, “if you think you are too small to make a difference, try spending the night with a mosquito.” I believe this course will have a significant impact on our community.
Noah Geens
Noah will be finishing his bachelor’s degree this fall. Also a Commerce student, he is heavily involved on campus through academic clubs and volunteer positions such as DECA and JDCC. Throughout his studies, he has become increasingly interested in the intersection of sustainability and business. Like Taylor, this interest was piqued while taking Business and Environmental Sustainability I(BUSI 3119). As he continues his exploration into sustainability, Noah was excited to share the research position with Taylor this summer. He looks forward to continuing to explore the field and gain some hands-on research experience.
I love this initiative! We’re learning about actionable issues and new innovative tech and processes that have massive impacts on the environment. Not to mention this totally aligns with my daydream of moving off grid, building my own cottage, and having a small sustainable farm!
What’s Next?
As our research progresses, we will share blog updates. We welcome you to follow our research and experience our progress right here on our Summer 2021 blog!