8- The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday March 17, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com Optimistic academic followed father's advice Continued from page 3 sons. The couple proceeded to have two more children, so that life was pretty full for the academic and her mate. "I was lucky with my career," she said. "There was flexibility. I didn't have to be in the office every day from 8 until 5. A lot of the writing I could do at home." Dr. Ingrid Stefanovic For a time she had a nanny for the children allowing her to apply for full-time work at the university. "Yes, it was busy, but in the end I think it was actually better for my kids that I was able to keep doing what I loved." In her spare time, of which she has little, she loves to play tennis, swim and read. Currently, she has a popular non-fiction book on her table titled, Heat: How to Stop the Planet from Burning by George Monbiot. There is no doubt her work at U of T's Centre for Environment is a pinnacle in her career. She was instrumental in pulling the Centre together, consolidating three different environmental divisions at the university, involving over 300 faculty members, and acting as the founding director, as of July 2005. "Oh yes definitely," she said, "It's the most fun I've ever had." But adds, it has not been without challenges. "People who do inter-disciplinary work at the university, like I do, often run into barriers," she explained. "They don't quite know where to place us. So, it is crucial to make my interdisciplinary work solid and respected." The complex nature of the problems which the Centre for Environment studies demands an interdisciplinary approach, she asserted. Life is complicated, but not without rewards. Not long ago, in the course of her work at the centre, Stefanovic met wildlife guru Jane Goodall who shared some wisdom in dealing with the pressures of modern life: "Wherever I travel," Goodall said, "I try to take the calm of the jungle with me." Goodall has a presence, a calming effect, a lovely spirit, Stefanovic said. With her two youngest children now studying at U of T, Stefanovic and her husband Michael are considering a change in their own lives, moving from Oakville, which has been `a wonderful environment for raising a family,' to a smaller home in Toronto, closer to the work she loves. "I have to be optimistic about the future, to do what I do at the centre," the good doctor said, "but I have always been optimistic. "My architect father told me `it's easier to pull down a bridge, Ingrid, than to build one. Make sure you are a builder.' That's stayed with me." Comedy fundraiser A Yuk Yuk's comedy night benefit, dinner, dance and silent auction will be held on Saturday, March 24. The event will be held at the Mohawk Inn and Conference Centre, 9230 Guelph Line in Campbellville, near Hwy. 401. The fundraiser is being presented by the Halton Organization for Pride and Education and the Peer Outreach Support Services and Education project. Proceeds will assist youth programs held by the two organizations. The evening offers an opportunity to mix with others in the Halton area LGBTTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, transgender, two-spirited and queer) communities and their supporters. Tickets cost $50 per person in advance and the price includes a buffet dinner. For more details, call 905-632-4551 or 877-860-HOPE.