News
SENS PhD Student Mostofa Kamal Receives GSA's Mark Kroeker Exceptional Student Leadership Award
Kamal is being recognized as someone who demonstrates a readiness to take charge and to create new initiatives and opportunities for his peers.
SENS collaborates with Mistawasis Nêhiyawak on flood projections
In the spring of 2011, following an extremely wet winter and heavy rainfall, the Indigenous community of Mistawasis Nêhiyawak was devastated by a major flooding event that was desc...
GIWS research improving flood forecasting
When we hear about a river flood, we might assume there has been a heavy downpour or warm spring temperatures causing rapid snowmelt. Ice jams, however, are a significant contribut...
SENS Welcomes New Faculty Member Dr. Andrea Kraj
Dr. Kraj started in the School of Environment and Sustainability on March 1, 2020.
Certificate in Sustainability Awards: Call for Nominations
The School of Environment and Sustainability is pleased to invite nominations for two awards for students pursuing our Certificate in Sustainability, to be submitted on or before A...
Dr. Greg Poelzer chosen as Co-Lead of the Fulbright Arctic Initiative
The Fulbright Arctic Initiative is a globally successful initiative that brings together a group of world-leading scholars and practitioners to address pressing issues facing North...
USask research projects with the City of Saskatoon awarded nearly $150K to target urban issues
SASKATOON – Measuring pharmaceuticals in Saskatoon’s wastewater, diverting food from the landfill to save money and the planet, and improving property assessment appeals are some o...
Launching and Navigating an Academic Career
A 1-day short course for senior PhD students, postdocs and early-career faculty. ***CANCELLED***
USask School of Environment and Sustainability partners with city to study storm water
Saskatoon’s storm water system has seen its fair share of odds and ends. Aside from the more typical paint, oil, and gas, operations staff report finding jewelry, car transmissions...
Climate change, pollution and urbanization threaten water in Canada
The water that replenishes groundwater, rivers and lakes is under threat from climate change, pollution and aging infrastructure.
USask students, staff lead Ugandan fundraising exhibit
For University of Saskatchewan (USask) master’s student Zoey (Pricelys) Roy, last year’s trip to Uganda was a life-changing look at the challenges people face half a world away.
New community centre opens on USask campus
The University of Saskatchewan (USask) has officially opened the USask Community Centre, located in Marquis Hall on the Saskatoon campus.
Creed leads new sustainability strategic plan
Tasked with creating a comprehensive sustainability strategic plan for the University of Saskatchewan (USask), Dr. Irena Creed (PhD) wasted no time in getting started.
SENS specialist seeks food solutions the world needs
For University of Saskatchewan (USask) computational biologist Dave Schneider, plant health ultimately comes down to an issue of food and economic security.
USask President statement on Iran plane crash tragedy
In the aftermath of the Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 crash, our hearts and thoughts are with the victims and their families, friends and acquaintances during this very...
Year in review: Top USask news from 2019
From groundbreaking research to breaking enrolment records, it’s been another banner year for the University of Saskatchewan (USask).
Executive Director (Interim) of SENS receives prestigious SETAC Fellows Award
The Distinguished Professor is one of 10 Canadian Fellows, 78 globally
USask water expert joins global call to action to protect global groundwater sources
SASKATOON – A group of international scientists and practitioners including University of Saskatchewan (USask) researcher Jay Famiglietti say we are not doing enough to protect and...
Canada falling short of UN’s Sustainable Development Goals: New report from water scientists
Canada could lead the world in helping to achieve water sustainability but is falling short of reaching the goals set out by the United Nations (UN), according to a new report from...
Health threat from blue-green blooms extends beyond single toxin: USask study
As blue-green algae proliferates around the world, a University of Saskatchewan (USask) researcher cautions that current municipal drinking water monitoring that focuses on a singl...
SENS Professor Irena Creed awarded honorary doctorate from SLU
Creed was one of seven new honorary doctors honoured at the ceremony that took place on October 5, 2019.
Jay Famiglietti: Inspiring communities
Whether it is at the White House or the United Nations, in the community or in the classroom, Dr. Jay Famiglietti (PhD) is committed to communicating the science of discovery.
Warmer, wetter climate benefits some birds as wetlands vanish
The grasslands of the Canadian Prairies are a hidden gem for bird watchers, with millions of migratory birds passing through the area each year.
USask SENS professor to receive honour of Distinguished Professor
Dr. Maureen Reed reflects on her early work as a feminist scholar at the end of a banner year filled with awards.
Climate activist Greta Thunberg and USask scientist John Pomeroy discuss glacier decline
At a stop on Oct. 22 during her ongoing trip across North America, climate activist Greta Thunberg met with University of Saskatchewan (USask) water scientist John Pomeroy at a USa...
USask education student is on pace for Paralympics
It’s been a remarkable last few years for Shelby Newkirk, but 2020 promises to be the best yet.
Toxic metals found in reproductive organs of critically endangered eels
Mystery of shrinking population may be linked to eels devouring their own skeletons.
ONEC Group joins USask consortium bringing renewable energy to remote communities
SASKATOON – A unique University of Saskatchewan (USask) research program that aims to address policy challenges and socio-economic barriers to renewable energy development in north...
How Canada can solve its emerging water crisis
Canadians can no longer be assured that our waters are abundant, safe and secure. As global temperatures continue to increase, our glaciers melt, permafrost thaws, river flows beco...
USask and World Water Day 2019
SASKATOON – The University of Saskatchewan (USask) will highlight World Water Day on Friday, March 22 with two special events, one local and the other international.
USask receives funding to reduce carbon emissions
SASKATOON—The University of Saskatchewan (USask), with the support of federal funding, will work to improve energy efficiency resulting in significant cost savings.
USask hosts planetary health conference
SASKATOON – The University of Saskatchewan (USask) is bringing the planetary health discussion and a number of expert keynote presenters to Saskatoon this week to examine the delic...
People of the Plan: Uplifting Indigenization
The work of influential individuals like Dr. Marie Battiste (EdD) is helping make the University of Saskatchewan (USask) a national leader in Indigenization.
Climate change a factor in Russian polar bear invasion
Prof. Douglas Clark, a researcher with the School of Environment and Sustainability (SENS), comments on how climate change and garbage disposal are impacting bear behaviour.
SENS student shares Indigenous perspective on climate change across Europe
Jocelyn Joe-Strack, a PhD student with the School of Environment and Sustainability (SENS), will soon embark on a 4-week speaking tour of Canadian embassies across Europe.
USask-led Global Water Futures gets U.N. recognition
The USask-led Global Water Futures has been designated as one of only three Regional Hydroclimate Projects (RHP) in the world by the GEWEX (Global Energy and Water Exchanges) proje...
Grizzly bears may take on new territory
SENS professor Douglas Clark discusses evidence that grizzly bears are expanding their range in northern Canada.
Stoking conflict between farming and conservation hurts everyone
Canada’s future prosperity will depend on effective environmental conservation and sustainable — and profitable — agriculture. Unfortunately, recent comments from former Saskatchew...
USask-led Global Water Futures launches six projects co-led with Indigenous partners
In a unique approach to improving water security through western science and Indigenous knowledge, the University of Saskatchewan-led Global Water Futures (GWF)—the world’s largest...
The global race for groundwater speeds up to feed agriculture’s growing needs
Water is becoming a scarce resource in many parts of the world. Water tables have been falling in many regions for decades, particularly in areas with intensive agriculture. Wells ...
USask study says more snow, earlier melt will challenge Arctic communities in future
University of Saskatchewan researchers with the Global Water Futures (GWF) program have provided the first detailed projections of major water challenges facing Western Arctic comm...
Research grants to USask advance Indigenous agriculture, safe water, reconciliation
Four University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers have been awarded more than $160,000 in Connection Grants by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council for projects ai...
Autism a blessing for dedicated SENS researcher
University of Saskatchewan (USask) researcher Dr. Lori Bradford (PhD) wants to help update social psychology for water and health-related problems in today’s vastly different world...
USask PhD student studying climate change in the Rockies
University of Saskatchewan (USask) hydrology PhD student Caroline Aubry-Wake has been busy studying the impact of climate change on glaciers in the Canadian Rockies.
Talking SENSe Fall 2018 newsletter
See the highlights from 2018 for the School of Environment and Sustainability in our fall newsletter.
Top 30 under 30: SENS alumni named as national sustainability leaders for 2018
Leah Luciuk and Palash Sanyal, both alumni from the School of Environment and Sustainability (SENS), were selected for Corporate Knights magazine’s list of top thirty sustainabilit...
SENS Executive Director's holiday message
Irena Creed, the Executive Director of SENS, reflects on this year's successes and her gratitude for the SENS community.
SENSSA: Student representatives find a home in SENS
“I love SENS because it feels more like a big extended family than a school,” said Viktoria Hinz.
EcoHack: Community-inspired innovation
The University of Saskatchewan (USask) recently hosted EcoHack, Saskatchewan’s first environment- and sustainability-focused hackathon.
New leader for USask’s leading-edge food security research program
Renowned plant molecular geneticist Dr. Andrew Sharpe (PhD) will lead the next phase of the University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) Plant Phenotyping and Imaging Research Centre (P2IR...
Government invests in USask nuclear innovation
With $3.6 million in new funding, the Saskatchewan Centre for Cyclotron Sciences (SCCS) at the University of Saskatchewan will renovate and equip its Innovation Wing to conduct lea...
Computer simulations may improve clean energy production
USask researchers' virtual simulations could help companies save time and tens of thousands of dollars for large-scale testing.<br/><br/>
SENS professor is an award-winning mentor
University of Saskatchewan (USask) environmental scientist Dr. Colin Laroque (PhD) stresses hands-on learning in providing his undergraduate students with high-quality, innovative ...
Online course promotes Indigenous wellness
Establishing a safe and welcoming environment plays a significant part in providing health care.
Dr. Peterson's water research legacy
Dr. Hans Gosta Peterson will be remembered for helping at-risk communities to have access to clean water.
Exam study tips: how to stress less and use your study time effectively
As exams and deadlines loom, it’s important to remember that you aren’t on your own.
Emerging threats to freshwater biodiversity
SENS Executive Director Irena Creed has co-authored a paper on new and continuing threats to freshwater ecosystems.
Indigenous youth leader steps up to represent USask students
Just a few years ago, teachers didn’t think much of Rollin Baldhead. He was cycling through schools in Saskatoon and Duck Lake, with little support or encouragement from anyone out...
Grizzly, black and polar bears together for the first time
Although the three bear species don't usually live in the same space, Dr. Douglas Clark (PhD) and his colleagues caught them all on camera in northern Manitoba.
USask and NRCan sign MOU to advance national water security
OTTAWA – At a special ceremony today, the University of Saskatchewan (USask) and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will str...
Innovative USask software project to boost Canada’s research capacity
SASKATOON — In an era when multidisciplinary research teams work across institutional and geographical boundaries generating vast amounts of live data that’s kept on various device...
First annual EcoHack event begins on campus today
The School of Environment and Sustainability (SENS) is a proud partner and sponsor of EcoHack, Saskatchewan's first environment- and sustainability-focused hackathon.
USask researchers find changing environment bringing bear species together
In an unprecedented finding, University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers have recorded all three species of North American bears occupying overlapping territory in Canada’s suba...
Groundwater in peril: U.S. fresh water supply smaller than originally thought
SASKATOON – The United States (U.S.) fresh groundwater supply is smaller than originally thought due to stresses to critical resources from both the top down and the bottom up, say...
USask researchers awarded $3.4M for projects to mitigate greenhouse gases in agriculture
SASKATOON – University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources, the School of Environment and Sustainability (SENS), and the Global Insti...
SENS leads international renewable energy network
University of Saskatchewan professor Greg Poelzer will lead a new international renewable energy network.
USask and new partner, Valard Group, aim to advance renewable energy in remote communities
SASKATOON – A unique University of Saskatchewan(USask) research program that aims to address policy challenges and socio-economic barriers to renewable energy development in northe...
SENS/GIWS hydrologist earns Distinguished Researcher Award
World-leading field hydrologist Jeff McDonnell received the University of Saskatchewan Distinguished Researcher Award at Fall Convocation on Oct. 27.
SENS alumnus named as a "Top 30 Under 30 in Sustainability" in Canada
Palash Sanyal, an alumnus of the School of Environment and Sustainability (SENS), was named as one of Corporate Knights magazine’s top 30 sustainability leaders under age 30 in Can...
U of S hosts Indigenous Spend-a-Day
Through interactive sessions, an information fair, and a panel of Indigenous alumni, students recently learned about the program opportunities that have made the University of Sask...
International biosciences leader named interim executive director and CEO for GIFS
SASKATOON – The University of Saskatchewan (USask) and the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) board of directors are pleased to announce that current board member Stephen Vi...
Putting Indigenization at the heart of strategic planning
In recent years, a growing number of post-secondary institutions from across Canada have been implementing new strategies and initiatives with a goal to Indigenizing their campuses...
U of S professor receives 2018 Distinguished Researcher Award
Jeffrey McDonnell, professor with the School of Environment and Sustainability (SENS) and associate director of the Global Institute for Water Security (GIWS), receives fall 2018 D...
New chair and vice-chair for Global Institute for Food Security board
SASKATOON – The University of Saskatchewan (U of S) is pleased to announce that two well-known contributors to Saskatchewan’s agriculture sector will become the new chair and vice-...
U of S professor earns U.S. award for undergraduate mentorship
University of Saskatchewan environmental scientist Colin Laroque was recognized today with an international award for his dedication to providing innovative and high-quality resear...
SENS celebrates first Indigenous PhD graduate
Yvonne Vizina is the first Indigenous student to graduate with a PhD from the University of Saskatchewan’s School of Environment and Sustainability (SENS).
U of S researchers partner with First Nations community to measure climate change
University of Saskatchewan (U of S) researchers are working with the Okanese First Nation in southern Saskatchewan on a project to track and adapt to the effects of climate change ...
SENS professor receives national recognition in ecotoxicological science
Professor Karsten Liber, Director of the Toxicology Centre and Distinguished Professor in the School of Environment and Sustainability, received a 2018 award for Outstanding Contri...
Hydrology dictates fate of carbon from northern hardwood forests
Prof. Irena Creed, SENS Executive Director, helps to investigate how snowmelt and rainfall impact soil bacteria and carbon exports to the atmosphere.
The discovery process: Becoming the university that the world needs
With the updated Mission, Vision and Values statement establishing its path, along with the framework from the existing three integrated plans, the new university plan began to tak...
Taller plants slowly replacing short grasses, bushes in North
Research on the Arctic biome, based on data gathered from 117 tundra sites, shows that taller plant species are slowly taking over as the circumpolar region warms up rapidly, chang...
U of S researchers awarded $8M to tackle social, climate issues
University of Saskatchewan (U of S) researchers have been awarded more than $8 million for projects ranging from designing videogames that promote social bonding to safeguarding In...
Gearing up to power the North with renewables
Canada has committed to an electricity system by 2030 that will be 90 per cent carbon non-emitting, a move that requires transitioning to renewable energy such as wind, solar and b...
Uncovering the secret winter life of lakes
SENS student Emily Cavaliere studies a water cleansing process that keeps lakes “alive” in winter.
How a new vaccine could save cattle herds – and livelihoods
For 10,000 years, the bacterium Mycoplasma mycoides has infected goats, cows and other livestock, annihilating entire herds in days.
How to make computers faster and climate friendly
Your smartphone is far more powerful than the NASA computers that put Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon in 1969, but it is also an energy hog. In computing, energy use is ...
Wildfire season: is this the new normal?
Rapid melt of near-record snowfall in the Rocky Mountains in the spring caused serious flooding in parts of B.C. This summer, the drought and high temperatures have led to a very d...
Wheat genome blueprint accelerates innovation
Breakthrough research in creating a comprehensive blueprint of the wheat genome will bring disruptive innovation to wheat breeding, predicts University of Saskatchewan crop scienti...
How Africa can up its game on water management for agriculture
Global agriculture is facing unprecedented challenges. It’s estimated that the world’s population will reach 9.1 billion by 2050 with an ever expanding middle class. Current food p...
U of S researchers uncover insect-resistant genes in wheat
A recent PhD graduate at the University of Saskatchewan is among the first researchers worldwide to apply the groundbreaking sequencing of the bread wheat genome to develop more pe...
SENS hosts the 2018 Arctic Science Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
The School of Environment and Sustainability (SENS) at the University of Saskatchewan is pleased to host the 2018 AAAS meeting.
U of S student awarded $150,000 US fellowship to advance canary seed research
Suneru Perera, a PhD student at the University of Saskatchewan, is the only Canadian to be awarded a $150,000 US fellowship by a U.S. agricultural research organization to develop ...
U of S crop scientists help crack the wheat genome code
A University of Saskatchewan (U of S)-led research team has played a key role in an international discovery that will have an impact on the food security of millions of people arou...
U of S X-ray technology, wetlands research get NSERC boost
University of Saskatchewan researchers Irena Creed and Tim Kelly have been awarded a total of $1.2 million by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC) for two...
U of S researchers discover three new species of poisonous Colombian frogs
University of Saskatchewan researchers José Andrés and Andrés Posso-Terranova have discovered three new species of poisonous dart frogs — tiny and incredibly colourful animals that...
Nature can heal itself after an oil spill, it just needs a little help
Moving oil across the Rockies is dangerous.