My name is Tara Wiedeman and I came into Ivey from the Environmental Science program at Western. I am deeply passionate about nature, animals and the earth and thus am motivated to create change in protecting and preserving these vital things. I thoroughly enjoyed my courses in environmental biology, philosophy and chemistry and am interested in the Environment, Healthy and Safety sector, as well as the Renewable Energy space. I am eager to leverage my knowledge, skills and expertise in the Sustainability Certificate Program.
Additional Information
Personal Definition of Sustainability
My personal definition of sustainability is the usage of a resource in a way that allows it to regenerate on its own, back to its original levels. Sustainability permeates all aspects of our lives and I believe that it is vital to living long lives, but also to living fully and with respect for the resources we were given. I believe that as a society we perceive that human needs always take priority in decision-making. I’m an advocate for the idea that humans and the earth should be on equal ground in decision-making. I think this change in thought is necessary to make positive environmental changes.
Sustainability-In-Action
Last summer I was engaged in the GREEN program (Global Renewable Energy Education Network) where I travelled to Costa Rica for a week to take a Green Processing Engineering course with other students from around the globe. The picture shown in my bio was taken at a hydroelectric plant; part of the course involved us travelling to different renewable energy sites (wind, solar, bio-gas, etc) to get a better feel for their operations. This summer I plan to pursue employment or volunteerism in the Environmental Science space. I have applied to a position at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture conducting research on pest management and crop diseases.
