Robert Wallis

Passionate leader in nature education and research, empowering youth in a changing world

Robert Wallis has a PhD. in Genetics from Oxford University, and a B.Ed. from OISE, Toronto. After completing his Doctorate and two post-doctoral fellowships in Genetics he changed careers to focus on education. After spending 13 years instructing and advocating for access to outdoor education as Principal of Outward Bound Canada, Robert now heads up 4 ‘Nature Schools’ across the Greater Toronto Area as Supervisor, Community Outreach and Education at the Toronto Region Conservation Authority.

As a passionate advocate for getting students out into nature to experience first hand wonders of the natural, his goal is ‘to democratize outdoor education so that it is accessible to all school-aged youth in Canada.

Nature schools provide a platform to improve a young person’s mental and physical health, connect them with nature, and help them develop a respect for the natural world that inspires them to protect it. Being involved with the Canadian Health and Fitness Institute creates a valuable avenue to further this work, connecting with like-minded, passionate individuals targeting the same ultimate vision to enhance the physical, mental and spiritual health of all Canadians. I bring to the Institute not only experience in education, program evaluation and impact assessment, but also academic medical research from earlier in my career studying diabetes and metabolic diseases, and a growing network of research professionals focused on the benefits of time spent outdoors.