Kate Parizeau

Kate Parizeau is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics at the University of Guelph, serving as the Graduate Program Coordinator. Her work focuses on the social and environmental dimensions of waste management, urban inequality, and feminist geographies. She holds a PhD from the University of Toronto (2011) and has expertise in informal recycling systems, food waste reduction, and environmental justice. Her research combines qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze policy, community dynamics, and systemic inequalities.

• Education: PhD, University of Toronto, 2011
• Affiliations: College of Social & Applied Human Sciences, University of Guelph

Research Interests: Dr. Parizeau investigates food waste in Canada, informal recycling economies, urban governance, and the intersection of gender with environmental issues. She explores how waste management practices reflect broader social hierarchies and environmental health disparities. Her work emphasizes ethical scholarship and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.

Publications Overview: Her recent work addresses food rescue enterprises, pandemic impacts on household waste, and policy frameworks for circular economies. Key themes include the uneven distribution of environmental burdens, participatory community solutions, and interdisciplinary approaches to sustainability.

• Grants & Funding: Active in securing research grants for food waste reduction projects, including collaborations with institutions like the Ontario Ministry of the Environment.
• Labs/Teams: Leads the Social Life of Waste research initiative, focusing on collaborative projects with NGOs and municipalities.