Academic

William Ernest Rees has been Professor at the University of British Columbia since September 1969. He is currently Professor, College for Interdisciplinary Studies, School of Community and Regional Planning.He is a Member of the International Society for Ecological Economics and the Canadian Society for Ecological Economics.

EDUCATION

University of Toronto, B.Sc., 1966 | University of Toronto, Ph.D., 1973

AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST OR ACCOMPLISHMENT IN DISCIPLINE

The ecological basis of development | Ecological footprint analysis | Human ecology | Human behavioural ecology | Ecological economics | Urban sustainability | Dynamics of Societal Collapse

Academic/Professional Awards and Distinctions:

  • Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Fellowship (2007-2010)
  • Elected, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (FRSC) 2006
  • Member of winning team, City of Barcelona 2004 Award (Multimedia Category) for the exhibition Inhabiting the World (10 February 2005).
  • Killam Senior Research Prize, UBC, 1996
  • SSHRC Study Leave Fellowship and Grant, 1985-86
  • NRCC Postgraduate Scholarship, 1968-69
  • NRCC Postgraduate Scholarship, 1967-68
  • Ramsay Wright Scholarship (Dept. of Zoology, University of Toronto), 1967-68
  • National Research Council of Canada Postgraduate Scholarship, 1966-67
  • New College In Course Scholarship (New College, University of Toronto), 1965-66

Selected University Responsibilities:

  • Associate Director, SCARP and Director, Centre for Human Settlements, 2007-09
  • Director, SCARP: 1 January 1994 — 30 June, 1999
  • Member, UBC Committee to define an undergraduate program in sustainability studies 1998-00
  • Co-Chair, UBC Task Force on Healthy and Sustainable Communities 1991-96
  • Member, Dean’s Committee to propose a New Graduate School of Integrated Studies of Natural Resource Systems, Faculty of Graduate Studies, 1985-86, 1987-88

COURSES TAUGHT AT UBC (Not including courses or workshops at other institutions)

  •  500 – Regional Section, Fundamentals of Planning Practice (several alternating years)
  • 501 – Introduction to Planning Analysis (1969-70, 1972-73)
  • 504 – Ecological Basis for Planning (continuing)
  • 506 – Urban Land Planning and Economic Change (1974-75)
  • 514 – Environmental Assessment (1975-77, 1981-94)
  • 520 – Regional Planning Workshop (1969-75)
  • 521 – Regional Planning Theory, Methods and Techniques (With Irving Fox, 1973-74)
  • 530 – Resource Analysis for Regional Planning (1969-85)
  • 533 – Enviro-Economic Systems (1978-93)
  • 540 – Workshop: Symposium on Planning for Sustainable Development (1988-89)
  • 541 – Regional Development Planning Workshop (with Peter Boothroyd, 1985)
  • 548 – Advanced Research Workshop 2001 – (continuing, currently as the Global Change, Complexity and Panarchy Workshop)
  • 549 – Masters Thesis Program and Colloquium (1979-85; 2005-06)
  • 596 – Ecological-Economic Systems (Ecological Economics) (continuing)
  • 603 – Ph.D. Colloquium (1985-2000)

PhD THESIS STUDENTS SUPERVISED

(As Principal or Co-Principal Advisor since 1986 only; not including Masters students or Post-Doctoral students)

Graduated

  • 2008 Meidad Kissinger, “Interregional Ecology and Sustainability in a Globalizing World
  • 2001 Brent Doberstein, “Environmental Assessment as a Tool for Capacity Building for in the Developing World: The Case of Viet Nam”
  • 2000 Peter Tyedmers, “A Comparative Ecological Footprint Analysis of the Wild Fish Fishery and the Salmon Farming Industry in BC”
  • 2000 Michael Carr, “Bioregionalism and the Role of Social Capital in Development”
  • 1999 Yoshi Wada, “The Ecological Footprint of Japan”
  • 1998 David Lertzman: “Planning Between Paradigms: Lessons for Planning Theory and Practice from Traditional Ecological Knowledge”
  • 1997 Priscilla Boucher, “Hearing the Voices of Women: Eco-Feminism and the Forest sector in BC”
  • 1994 Mathis Wackernagel: “ Ecological Footprint and Appropriated Carrying Capacity: A Tool for Planning Toward Sustainability”
  • 1993 Sudharto Hadi: “Planning for Industrialization in Central Java, Indonesia”
  • 1992 Mark Roseland: “Toward Sustainable Communities: A Planning Framework for Municipal and Local Governments”
  • 1989 Michael Carley: “Planning in the Modern State: A New Synthesis and Program for Theory”
  • 1988 Dominique Levieil, “Territorial Use Rights in a Peasant Fishery: Its Role in Economic Development of the Lake Titicaca Region of Peru”
  • 1986 Edward Onyebuchi, “Understanding the Household Energy Sector: A Contribution to National Energy Policy in Nigeria”

PhD Students In Progress (working titles only)

  • Jennie Moore “Redefining the City System: Toward ‘One Planet’ Urban Living” (expected to complete in 2011-12)
  • Cornelia Sussmann “Urban Sustainability: The Case of South-East False Creek?” (expected to complete in 2011-12)