2018 MSc (Planning) Rural Planning & Development
David Duhan
Program
2018 Graduate – Rural Planning & Development, MSc (Planning)
About My Advisor…
I had the opportunity to work with two co-advisors in my research, taking advantage of their expertise in two different academic fields - rural planning and landscape architecture. Both were incredibly insightful in helping me focus my research and supported me through several challenges along the way. I took on a very independent research direction but was able to leverage my advisors' support throughout my project.
About Being a Grad Student at U of G…
As a graduate student at U of G, you are part of a community unto itself. Being a grad student is an opportunity to connect not only with your own school but across the entire University.
What Makes U of G Unique?
The hummus at the Bullring.
About the City of Guelph…
Guelph is home for me. I chose to study here then chose to live here because it is a city that promotes innovation and quality of life. The community is well-connected and there's something about running into your faculty at the local farmer's market that makes a City of 120,000 feel small.
About Future Goals
I want to change the way we approach development in Ontario, making space for the natural systems that fundamentally support us. My work at Guelph involved both an undergraduate in Landscape Architecture and my current graduate studies. The work I have accomplished and the network opportunities I gave me the skills to transition into a role where I can reach my goal.
How Will Your Research Improve Life?
We all take advantage of clean air, water, and resources that come from the natural environment, everyday. Unfortunately, development policy in Ontario does not give natural systems the respect they need and, as a consequence, they are being degraded. My work intends to understand why Ontario policy is falling short and highlighting that we are not apart from, but a part of our natural world. This work will improve the way we see the land in policy but also how we make decisions into the future, for all Ontarians.