UBC environmental sustainability research hub welcomes new director
July 13, 2017
Milind Kandlikar has been appointed director of UBC’s Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES) for a four-year term, effective July 1, 2017.
Kandlikar’s research focuses on the intersection of technology innovation, human development and the global environment, and he played a played a major role in shaping UBC’s new professional Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs program. He served as interim director of IRES in 2014 and 2015.
IRES is a problem-focused and curiosity-driven interdisciplinary research institute and graduate program, with expertise in a wide range of environment and sustainability topics. The Institute’s mission is to foster sustainable futures through integrated research and learning about the linkages among human and natural systems.
“Milind is a very well-respected scholar with excellent publication, grant, administrative and graduate supervision records,” said Simon Peacock in making the announcement. “I look forward to working with him to build on the Institute’s successful research and graduate training initiatives, and helping to advance UBC’s already strong reputation in sustainability.”
Kandlikar earned his PhD at Carnegie Mellon University in 1995, and was a research fellow at Harvard University from 1996 to 1997. After stints at Carnegie Mellon University and Vice President of MetaHeuristics in Santa Barbara, he joined UBC in 2002 and was promoted to professor in 2012. He currently holds a joint appointment in IRES and in the Liu Institute.
“I’d like to express my profound thanks to Terre Satterfield for serving as an excellent director of IRES for the past five years,” added Peacock.
“Terre helped develop UBC’s professional Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs program, hired outstanding faculty members, developed sustainability teaching programs, and promoted world-class interdisciplinary scholarship while maintaining her own high-quality research program.”
The IRES directorship search committee consisted of Stephanie Chang, Mark Johnson, Jiaying Zhao, Roger Beckie, Gillian Harris and Alejandra Echeverri.