Hello, my name is Thomas, I grew up in Calgary, Alberta. When I am not in London, I try to spend most of my free time in the Rocky Mountains. I love sports and spend most of my free time in the summer mountain biking and backpacking. The amount of time I spent hiking in nature when I was young has really inspired me to make a career that helps preserve the amazing environments in Canada and around the world. 

What is your personal definition of sustainability? 

My definition of sustainability is what I was taught in grade school, but I think it encompasses where we need to go as a society; reduce, reuse, recycle. The three R’s can be applied by any business to make a more environmentally sustainable process. But to add to my definition, in the long run, I think sustainability should include another R: revitalize. People have damaged the environment to a point that will require us to recreate it by introducing nature into cities, homes, and businesses. 

What role do you see sustainability playing in your professional career? 

I hope that sustainability can be the center of my professional career. Sustainability is something I have been passionate about for as long as I can remember, and I want to make a career of it. Growing up in Alberta I was exposed to lots of discussions regarding oil and gas. I specifically want to purse a career in the renewable energy sector, things like wind, solar, and hydro power. The foremost reason I want to do this is to try and create a greener society, but the industry is about to grow at a very rapid pace. A company based in the America - Ambri - is creating a liquid metal battery that can help offset the time of production time of use issues that have plagued the industry for so many years. During my career I hope to utilize new technology so that I may bring utility scale renewable energy to all people of Canada. 

What sustainability projects have you been engaged in? 

I have been a part of the Priddis Greens Golf and Country Club Audubon project. Because golf courses tend to disrupt the environment around them, my previous employer began partaking in sustainable development projects and I was placed on a team to help with them. The Audubon program aims to ensure that golf courses encourage biodiversity within the course and give back to nature more than damage it. My responsibilities included: 

• Measuring proper fertilizer use throughout the course, as too much nitrogen can cause dangerous algae blooms.  
• Installing new sprinkler systems that could more efficiently water the grass, leading to less wastewater. 
• Aid in drainage system creation so that animal habitats would not be flooded as a result of the golf course.