Michelle Rutty

Dr. Michelle Rutty is an Assistant Professor at the University of Waterloo, where she holds a Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) in Tourism, Environment, and Sustainability. Her research focuses on tourist behavioral responses to environmental change, climatic risks to tourism, and opportunities for sustainable practices in a warming world.

As Director of the deTOUR Lab, she employs virtual reality to study climate-induced environmental changes (e.g., natural disasters, glacier retreat) and their impacts on global tourism. Her work spans mountain, coastal, and winter tourism, integrating climatology, geography, and policy analysis.

Key research areas include:

• Behavioral adaptation in tourism
• Climate change and recreational activity
• Virtual reality applications
• Weather-tourism relationships
• Climate risk management

Publication trends show interdisciplinary focus on climate change impacts, with emphasis on winter tourism, coastal destinations, and stakeholder adaptation. Recent work examines athlete activism, Olympic Winter Games sustainability, and climate indices for tourism forecasting.

Scientific awards include recognition from:

• Travel and Tourism Research Association
• World Meteorological Organization
• International Center for Research and Education in Tourism
• World Tourism Forum

She is a contributing author to the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (North American chapter) and co-chair of the International Society of Biometeorology Commission on Climate, Tourism and Recreation. Graduate students interested in sustainable tourism and VR technologies are encouraged to apply.