Sustainability in Practice: Student Carves their own Path through MScSM

I sat down with Jason Pang, a Master of Science in Sustainability Management (MScSM) student from the Institute for Management & Innovation (IMI), to talk about his experience in the program and a future career in academia.

After completing a bachelor’s degree in science at the University of British Columbia, Jason felt that there were gaps in his education, gaps that the MScSM program was able to fill.

Jason’s entrance into the workforce came after completing his bachelor’s degree. He faced some challenges and decided to continue his educational career. Jason enrolled in the MScSM program to gain practical skills and ease the transition into his field. “During my undergrad, you learn a lot of theories, [...] definitions and concepts. But I wanted practical skills, and so in sustainability, things like carbon accounting, sustainability, reporting, and lifecycle assessments. [...] that's why I chose the MSCSM program,” Jason said.

Jason is currently in his second year of study in the MScSM program. He has experienced a variety of required and elective courses that have helped him pursue a career in sustainability management. Jason highlighted SSM1010: Principles of Sustainability and Management as the course that gave him the most applicable knowledge of the workplace. “For one of the assignments, we had to cross-compare the sustainability priorities of two companies in a similar industry. That helped us take a look at what the industry is currently doing [...] and branch out to look at multiple companies within the industry,” Jason said.

Jason was quick to mention the exceptional professors and guest speakers that played a role in his continued interest in a profession in sustainability.“One thing I really liked about Professor Pujari [Jason’s SSM1010 professor] is that he always told us that he was learning himself, Jason said. Sustainability management is a field that is constantly changing and developing with the advancement of technology and AI.

Through the MScSM program, Jason represents the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) on the Committee for Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change (CECCS). This committee is a tri-campus organization which advises the president of U of T, Melanie Woodin. The core goal of the committee is to help U of T retain its #1 ranking of being the most sustainable school in the world according to QS World University Rankings. “One of the major projects that I helped lead was a best practices guide on waste management in residences,” Jason explained.

Jason has also spent time as a teaching assistant during his undergraduate degree and master’s degrees in the MScSM program. Jason has helped teach (LFS 100: Introduction to Land, Food, and Community), (GRS 290: Global Issues in Cultural Context), and (RSM 466: Environmental and Social Responsibility for Management). “These days I'm actually thinking of going into academia, hopefully doing a PhD after my master's and then going into teaching,” Jason said. Jason put his knowledge to paper through his first publication during the MScSM program.

To learn more about the Master of Science in Sustainability Management at IMI, visit www.utm.utoronto.ca/mscsm or contact imi@utoronto.ca.

To learn more about Jason Pang, visit www.utm.utoronto.ca/mscsm/mscsm-students-alumni/class-2026/jason-pang.