Amanda Smits

Background

About Amanda Smits

As the Centre Administrator of the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre (ESRC) at Brock University, I have over six years of experience in managing and developing innovative academic programs and partnerships that advance sustainability in our community and beyond. I have co-led Sustainability at Brock, a cross-functional initiative aiming to improve the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance and reporting of the university. I oversee a team that includes both full-time permanent employee direct reports, as well as 2 to 6 student Research Assistant positions annually. I am passionate about creating experiential learning opportunities for our students, such as field trips, internships, and guest speakers, that expose them to the field of sustainability and its diverse applications. I also teach an undergraduate course on leadership in environmental sustainability, where I mentor and inspire the next generation of sustainability leaders. Additionally, I have contributed to multiple academic publications on Higher Education Institutes (HEI)-Community partnerships and sustainability science, demonstrating my analytical and research skills. I am motivated by the vision of transforming organizations, such as Brock, to being sustainability leaders and forces for positive change.