A new Water Sciences B.Sc. degree program – the first of its kind in Canada – will be launched at Trent in the fall of 2015, ensuring future environmental leaders and scientists will be equipped with the expertise to solve problems related to the quantity and the quality of our world's most precious resource.
Interdisciplinary in its approach, the new Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in Water Sciences is unique in Canada and will encompass studies in Biology, Chemistry, Environmental and Resource Science/Studies and Geography, as it prepares graduates for jobs in the field.
“Having a Water Sciences program at Trent solidifies our University’s role as a leader in this important field of study,” says Dr. Holger Hintelmann, dean of Arts and Science, Science and a professor in Chemistry and Environmental and Resource Science, adding: "There is great complexity in this field, and we know that potential employers are looking for this kind of knowledge."
The preservation of water and the aquatic environment is receiving increased attention from all levels of government, as well as from industry and advocacy organizations. The new Water Sciences B.Sc. program has been designed to respond to the demand for professionals who have an interdisciplinary scientific understanding of water issues, and can place this understanding in an appropriate policy context.
Students in the program will complete courses drawn from the departments of Biology, Chemistry, Environmental and Resource Science/Studies and Geography. These courses will provide the technical and theoretical foundation for study of the science of water and the aquatic environment. Traditional and interactive lectures and workshops will be complemented by hands-on and experiential learning in the field and in state-of-the-art Trent laboratories, including the Water Quality Centre, one of the world’s premier facilities for environmental contamination research.
"To really get a true sense of the science of water, you need to cover all of the disciplines," says Dr. James Buttle, professor in Trent's Geography department. "We tend to think that we are water rich in Canada, and in some places, we are. But there's no guarantee that it's going to be there in the same quantity and quality 50 years from now."
Graduates of the program will be poised for careers in the private and public sectors as environmental consultants or advisors with conservation authorities or provincial and federal ministries, as well as in a variety of graduate studies programs.
For more information, visit www.trentu.ca/watersciences
About Trent University
Trent is renowned for its leadership in environmental studies. One of Canada's top universities, Trent University was founded on the ideal of interactive learning that's personal, purposeful and transformative. Consistently recognized nationally for leadership in teaching, research and student satisfaction, Trent attracts excellent students from across the country and around the world. Here, undergraduate and graduate students connect and collaborate with faculty, staff and their peers through diverse communities that span residential colleges, classrooms, disciplines, hands-on research, co-curricular and community-based activities. Across all disciplines, Trent brings critical, integrative thinking to life every day. As the University prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2014, Trent's unique approach to personal development through supportive, collaborative community engagement is in more demand than ever. Students lead the way by co-creating experiences rooted in dialogue, diverse perspectives and collaboration. In a learning environment that builds life-long passion for inclusion, leadership and social change, Trent's students, alumni, faculty and staff are engaged global citizens who are catalysts in developing sustainable solutions to complex issues. Trent's Peterborough campus boasts award-winning architecture in a breathtaking natural setting on the banks of the Otonabee River, just 90 minutes from downtown Toronto, while Trent University Oshawa delivers a distinct mix of programming in the GTA.
For more information contact:
Dr. Holger Hintelmann, dean of Arts and Science, Science, Trent University, (705) 748-1011 x6143 or hhintelmann@trentu.ca