Sustainability Panel
Panelists
Patricia Huynh
she/her/hers
Patricia Huynh is the Sustainability Projects Manager, a PhD candidate, and a sessional instructor at the University of Waterloo. Patricia leads the coordination, development, and implementation of projects that advance campus sustainability within the context of the Environmental Sustainability Strategy and Campus Climate Action Plan at the university. Patricia actively works to link academic research and learning opportunities with tangible, on-campus pilot, demonstration, and deployment projects with a focus on sustainability and climate action. Patricia has worked as a biologist, nature interpreter, and conservation engagement intern and is passionate about conservation, restoration, community building, and sustainable living.
Jean-Marc Daigle
he/him/his
Jean-Marc Daigle is a licensed landscape architect with over 40 years industry experience as both a landscape architect and builder in a wide range of commercial, industrial, institutional and residential settings. He is a creative and versatile designer with an in-depth knowledge of landscape construction processes, with extensive experience in field construction, project management, and construction supervision. Jean-Marc specializes in ecological landscaping, ecological restoration and naturalization, “xeriscaping”, natural habitat creation, natural swimming pool design and construction, low impact development, and shoreline stabilization and enhancement. He has a keen interest in the creation of ecologically sustainable landscapes and greenspaces that foster positive experiences of, and interaction with, the natural world. Jean-Marc was a co-author of Restoring Nature’s Place: A Guide to Naturalizing Ontario Parks and Greenspace, recognized as a preeminent guide on ecological restoration in Ontario.
Brendon Samuels is a PhD candidate in the Department of Biology at Western University where he studies solutions for preventing bird-window collisions. Brendon is active in London's environmental sector, advocating for public education programs and policies that conserve biodiversity and advance climate change adaptation. He also maintains a naturalized yard and organizes regular litter cleanups in the community. Brendon is interested in strategies for shifting public perception of urban habitats as undesireably messy or disposable, mitigating conflicts with wildlife, and cultivating intercultural awareness of humans as agents in ecosystems.