Dr. Susan Nesbit obtained a B.A. in history and a B.A.Sc. in chemical engineering, and then worked as a research engineer studying novel methods of chlorine dioxide production for the pulp and paper industry. She is a leader in sustainability education and has designed several courses to introduce students to sustainability concepts via community service learning in an engineering context
According to Dr. Nesbit, today’s engineers are called on to engage with others in finding place-based, sustainable solutions to large, complex and ill-structured problems. Sustainability imperatives demand new ways of teaching and learning engineering, as well as a broader scope of engineering practice. Since 2001, I have developed curricula focusing on environmental stewardship for undergraduate and graduate engineering programs at the University of British Columbia. Deep technical knowledge is needed to address our sustainability issues in cities. And equally critical are professional breadth and leadership. Cities in Canada and around the world need professionals who can work on complex and evolving challenges — from water scarcity and a lack of affordable housing to mobility issues, biodiversity loss and much more.