Jonny Chard | News Editor
Featured image: The sustainability advocate is remembered for his passion for environmental education. | Courtesy of York Media
The flags at York’s Keele and Glendon campuses were lowered to half mast last week in remembrance of Dr. David Bell, professor emeritus of environmental studies.
Dr. Bell, aged 72, died of pancreatic cancer on January 10 at the Kensington Hospice in Toronto.
Born April 14, 1944, Dr. Bell was an ardent scholar who, after attending Glendon College, went on to receive his PhD in political science from Harvard University.
After a short teaching spell at Michigan State University, Dr. Bell returned to Ontario, where he took up a teaching position at York. He served as Dean of Graduate Studies before becoming the Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Studies.
A staunch advocate of sustainability, Dr. Bell’s drive for environmental education was recognized with a number of awards throughout his lifetime—notably, the 2014 Canadian Network for Environmental Education and Communication Award and The Green Toronto Award for Leadership in Sustainability.
Marilyne Lambert-Drache, the associate vice-president international at York and former colleague of Dr. Bell’s, emphasized his passion for education in an interview with the Toronto Star.
“I saw him giving lectures two times to undergraduate students and he was an incredible communicator,” she said.
“He radiated that passion and students were absolutely mesmerized by this tall man with a big smile and just listening to every one of his words. It was really wonderful to witness that,” she added.
In addition to his academic pursuits, Dr. Bell was an active jazz musician and also founded the women’s soccer team at York in 1984. He held the role of head coach until 1997, guiding them to an Ontario Women’s Intercollegiate Athletic Association silver medal in 1988 and a bronze in 1990.
After retiring from York, Dr. Bell went on to become the chair of the Board of Learning for a Sustainable Future, a non-profit organization dedicated to changing the Canadian education system to include sustainability education in its curriculums.
He also became chair of the Board of Directors of Parc-Downsview-Park and served as a consultant to universities, G8 summits and governments in Canada, China and Jamaica.
Dr. Bell’s family have requested that donations in his name may be made to the Wallace McCain Centre for Pancreatic Cancer through Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, or the Kensington Hospice in Toronto or Learning for a Sustainable Future.
The Learning for a Sustainable Future has established the Dr. David V.J. Bell Memorial Fund to continue his legacy in support of world change by empowering children.
