Gerald Carrothers, a visionary academic and founding dean of what is now the Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change, passed away on April 20, just short of his 100th birthday.
An architect by training, Carrothers held a PhD in economics and regional planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Before joining York University, he taught at the Universities of Manitoba, Toronto and Pennsylvania, and served at what is now the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
Carrothers joined York University in 1968 and leveraged his diverse background to establish what would become the first Faculty of Environmental Studies in Canada.
At a time when environmental issues were not yet part of mainstream academic discourse, Carrothers demonstrated remarkable foresight by launching an academic unit dedicated to addressing the complex relationships between people, places and the planet. His legacy continues to resonate amid today’s environmental and climate crises.
Carrothers designed the Faculty of Environmental Studies to operate without traditional academic silos, guided by the belief that rigid departmental structures could limit student learning. He encouraged the integration of social, ecological and economic perspectives, shaping generations of scholars and practitioners dedicated to just and sustainable futures.
This vision informed the design of the Master in Environmental Studies (MES) program, particularly its Plan of Study – a student-centred model that enables individuals to shape their own academic paths based on intersecting concerns and contexts. The model remains a core pedagogical feature of the MES program today.
Over the next decades, the Faculty of Environmental Studies changed significantly in its academic scope, research leadership and interdisciplinary approach with the influence of Carrothers. It expanded to address growing environmental concerns around pollution, conservation and ecological awareness, and also integrated urban planning, policy development and sustainability into its curriculum.
In recognition of his contributions, York appointed Carrothers a University Professor in 1992 – one of the institution’s highest academic honours. Upon retirement, he was named University Professor Emeritus in Environmental Studies and continued to influence the field through mentorship and scholarship.
His impact is also commemorated through the Gerald (Gerry) Carrothers Graduate Scholarship, which supports MES students during the research and fieldwork stages of their program. The award reflects the values at the heart of Carrothers’ vision and – now his legacy – following his passing: interdisciplinarity, environmental learning and transformational change.