WISE is the recipient of the 2020 Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) Employer Impact Award for Impact in Sustainability. The organization has also been named an honorable mention in the Impact in International Excellence Award category. At WISE, Waterloo students either work with the organization or with its international partners in field placement positions as part of the Energy Access Internship Program.

Aysha Cotterill (Systems Design Engineering co-op student at UW)

Aysha worked as a research assistant for the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy (WISE) in Spring 2020. WISE facilitates research to improve global access to sustainable and affordable energy. During her time at the organization, Cotterill worked on a project focused on clean energy in Indigenous communities in Canada. Working on the project helped Cotterill develop an understanding of energy democracy as well as its ties to culture, policy and activism.

“I realized how complex this energy system is. And what surprised me was how many people in Canada were still living without reliable energy access, especially in remote communities,” says Cotterill. “I think that was one of the biggest takeaways and really drove me to continue working in this field in the future.”

Ambika Opal (Manager, Global Programs and Initiatives at WISE)

“I think the most important thing is helping students understand how to use their academic background for social good,” says Ambika Opal, global programs and initiative manager at WISE.

Jean Andrey (Dean, Faculty of Environment at UW)

“We value and celebrate WISE’s contribution to the global sustainable energy effort and their inclusion of Waterloo’s standout co-op students to the cause,” says Jean Andrey, Dean of the Faculty of Environment at Waterloo. “By providing these opportunities to our students, WISE is helping them to develop important skills as individuals and helping lead us all towards a more sustainable future”.

A video presentation can be seen here.

Additional information can be found here.