Alan Diduck, PhD, MNRM, LLB

Through advocacy, mentorship, and education, Dr. Alan Diduck has made numerous and lasting contributions to campus sustainability at The University of Winnipeg. As a professor in the Department of Environmental Studies and Sciences and Acting Associate Dean of the Faculty of Science, Diduck has empowered students to rally for better environmental practices and positive changes inside and outside of the classroom for more than a decade.

An involved faculty member and champion of socio-political empowerment, Diduck provided invaluable mentorship to students involved in the SUNSET (Sustainable University Now, Sustainable Environment Tomorrow) group as they successfully advocated for the creation of a campus-wide sustainability initiative between 2003 and 2006. He has also served on many committees, including the Campus Sustainability Council and the Academic Working Group on Sustainability, and was involved in the development of the Richardson College for the Environment.

Notably, Diduck has taken on the development of a campus sustainability course, which debuted in Winter Term 2016. The course tasked students with creating projects, proposals and feasibility studies that addressed environmental sustainability at UWinnipeg. Student work from the first session of the special topics course included the development of a seed library, research into opportunities for storm water management on campus, and a proposal for strategies to better integrate sustainability into the curriculum.

Diduck’s investment in the new campus sustainability course typifies his commitment to student empowerment and his regard for the university as a living laboratory. For his dedication to improving environmental practices and advocacy among students, The University of Winnipeg is proud to honour Dr. Alan Diduck with the Campus Sustainability Recognition Award.