Alpar Undergraduate Scholarship
Established in honour of the late Zehra Alpar, the Department’s student advisor for many years spanning the 1960s through 1990s, by friends, colleagues and alumni upon her retirement in 1994, these awards are given to outstanding students who have made significant progress in completing their degree.
Oliver Bassel
Oliver is a fourth-year student studying physical geography, mathematics, and statistics at the St. George campus and expects to graduate in the spring. Currently, he is looking for employment in a variety of different fields relating to climate change, sustainability, renewable energy, and resource management. He is driven by his sense of wonder and curiosity for the world and his desire to leave a meaningful positive impact in whatever it is he ultimately pursues.
Ben Shindman Scholarship in Geography
Created in honour of the late Benjamin Shindman, one of the Department’s top students in the 1940s and ‘50s, this award is given to an outstanding full-time undergraduate student who has completed his/her third year of a Geography Specialist or Double Major Program and who is currently enrolled in the fourth year of that program.
Willow Cabral
Willow Cabral is a fourth-year undergraduate Geography student, originally from a small town on Vancouver Island, BC. Since moving to Toronto in 2018 she has been involved in several environmental initiatives, from completing LEAF’s Young Urban Forest Leaders program to coordinating a neighbourhood-wide tree planting initiative in the Annex, to implementing a Park(ing) Day installation on Bloor St. West. These experiences have sparked her research interests, which encompass the intersections of urban liveability and sustainability, with a focus on how community-engaged planning can lead to more equitable and vibrant cities. She currently works as an intern for an urban planning and design studio, which has given her glimpses into her dream career. In Fall 2022, Willow hopes to pursue a Master’s degree in Urban Planning to work towards her goal of becoming a professional planner and to help foster environmental and equitable urban planning
Edward Blake Scholarship in Earth Sciences
This scholarship is awarded to a student in second or third year with an A average, enrolled in a program offered by the Department of Geography. This scholarship was created from a gift of the late Hon. Edward Blake, Chancellor of the University, 1876-1900. This award is presented to a geography student in alternate years.
Hana Fahim
Hana is a fourth year student studying conservation biology and GIS. She is generally interested in how GIS can be applied to answering research questions in ecology and conservation biology. She is currently working on a project studying urban coral reefs in India and how proximity to cities and high population density can affect their function and resilience. Urban reefs may be more adapted to extreme conditions due to increased exposure to human pressures. They can, therefore, prove to be more resilient to future climate change and can be potential refuges against it.
F. Kenneth Hare Scholarship in Environment
Given to an outstanding undergraduate student in their third or fourth year of study in either of the Environment and Resource Management or Physical and Environmental geography programs. Preference will be given to students registered in Trinity College
Angel Yang
Angel is in her fourth year at the University of Toronto, studying environmental geography, human geography, and urban studies, and she is very honoured to receive this scholarship. She is an aspiring urban planner who is interested in community-led initiatives. Angel is passionate toward sustainability and urban social justice, and hopes to work closely with communities to address their needs through planning. Angel's research interests include the impact of community centres, green spaces, and active transportation infrastructure on neighbourhoods during COVID-19.
Griffith Taylor Memorial Award
The late Griffith Taylor founded the Department of Geography in 1935, serving as Chair from 1935 to 1951. In his honour, UTAGA established this award to recognize outstanding academic achievement. It is presented to an outstanding student graduating from a four-year program with either a major or specialist in geography, who has exhibited all-round excellence over the course of the program.
Ariella Kohn-Adams
Ariella is completing her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Geography and Forest Conservation. Her research focuses on generating socio-ecological resilience to ecological degradation, with an emphasis on regenerative agricultural systems, as well as more recently on invasive species management within deciduous forest ecosystems. She is looking forward to continuing her studies next year at the post-graduate level, where her research will focus on community ecology of the Great Lakes Region.
John Horner Undergraduate Scholarship
Awarded to an undergraduate student in the Department of Geography & Planning based on academic merit.
Hannah Gordon
Ariella is completing her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Geography and Forest Conservation. Her research focuses on generating socio-ecological resilience to ecological degradation, with an emphasis on regenerative agricultural systems, as well as more recently on invasive species management within deciduous forest ecosystems. She is looking forward to continuing her studies next year at the post-graduate level, where her research will focus on community ecology of the Great Lakes Region.
Hikmat Jamal
Hikmat is a philosophy and human geography student with an interest in political geography and urban planning. He is interested in the intersections between politics and the environment, particularly in relation to civic governance, game theory, and degrowth. He is currently researching the broader philosophical motivations behind various city planning movements.
Ariella Kohn-Adams
Ariella is completing her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Geography and Forest Conservation. Her research focuses on generating socio-ecological resilience to ecological degradation, with an emphasis on regenerative agricultural systems, as well as more recently on invasive species management within deciduous forest ecosystems. She is looking forward to continuing her studies next year at the post-graduate level, where her research will focus on community ecology of the Great Lakes Region.
Nova Dexter
Nova is in her fourth and final year studying Environmental Geography at U of T, with minors in Human Geography and Drama. Her academic work and studies have focused on understanding, managing, and conserving the relationship between humans and the natural environment, and she is passionate about environmental planning, ecosystem restoration, conservation biology, and food sovereignty. Her post-graduate plans have yet to be set, but she hopes to pursue a Master's degree that will allow her to build a career around environmental management and protection and fostering sustainable relationships between society and the biophysical world.
Shulie Smolyanitsky
Shulie is a fourth-year student and Human Geography specialist. Through a capstone project in partnership with the School of Cities and Wavelength Music, she is involved in supporting Toronto's music industry through infrastructure development. She also assists with a research project on the community development sector as an intern at Social Planning Toronto, and holds a part-time administrative job on campus. Shulie's research interests lie in the intersections of labour geographies and economic development within the creative industries.
Sidney & Lucille Silver Scholarship
This award is given to a student with an A average, in the third year of a specialist or double major program in environmental studies. This scholarship was established by family members, in honour of Mr. and Mrs. Silver’s 50th wedding Anniversary.
Oliver Bassel
Oliver is a fourth-year student studying physical geography, mathematics, and statistics at the St. George campus and expects to graduate in the spring. Currently, he is looking for employment in a variety of different fields relating to climate change, sustainability, renewable energy, and resource management. He is driven by his sense of wonder and curiosity for the world and his desire to leave a meaningful positive impact in whatever it is he ultimately pursues.
UTAGA Undergraduate Computer Applications Award
This award was created by UTAGA, and is presented to a senior student who has exhibited excellent scholarship incorporating computer applications.
Eryn Maloney
Eryn is a Human Geography major with a minor in GIS and an interest in the role of spatial analysis and mapping as an urban planning tool. Eryn hopes to use his 15-year career in music to support a future in arts and culture planning and is currently researching the implications of precarity and inequality for live audio technicians in Toronto’s music industry. Alongside a passion for the arts, Eryn maintains an interest in active transportation and social justice issues.
UTAGA Undergraduate Geography Toronto Award
The University of Toronto Association of Geography Alumni provides this award to graduating students who have made outstanding contributions to the life of the department. Award winners are individuals who have been extensively involved in extracurricular activities targeted at fellow geography/planning students, while at the same time achieving academic success.
Catalina Barinas
Catalina is completing a double degree in Human Geography (focus in Planning & Urban Geography) and Philosophy, with a minor in geographic information systems (GIS). She is passionate about sustainable urban development and empowering diversity in communities. Likewise, her research interests lie between heritage preservation and community resilience and how they contribute to social, ecological, and economic prosperity. Catalina plans to pursue a MSc in Planning to explore economic development planning further.
Jasmine Kara
Jasmine Kara graduated in 2021 with a Specialist in Human Geography and a Focus in Urban Geography and Planning. Jasmine was involved in TUGS for three years serving as Social Coordinator, Vice President and Co-President from 2018-2021. As a student advocate, Jasmine helped undergraduate students connect to academic support and services. Through seminars and social events, she also brought faculty, staff and students together. She continues her commitment to building a stronger community as the Alumni Communications and Events Assistant in the Geography Department.
UTAGA Outstanding Performance Award: Human Geography
Created by UTAGA in 2001, the purpose of this award is to recognize outstanding achievements by an undergraduate geography student in human geography Course GGR240 Geographies of Colonialism in North America.
Sonia Kazimi
Sonia is a third-year human geography and criminology double major with a minor in diaspora and transnational studies. Sonia takes an academic interest in integrating her majors to explore how space and policy racialize diasporic groups and Indigenous peoples. Sonia’s work experience with the municipal government has allowed her to explore how governances shape the lived experiences of settlers, Indigenous peoples, and migrants across various scales. She continues to use a settler-colonial lens to challenge so-called Canada’s colonial state and nationhood across her academic, personal, and work experiences.
UTAGA Outstanding Performance Award: Methods/GIS
Created by UTAGA in 2001, the purpose of this award is to recognize outstanding achievements by an undergraduate geography student in Methods/GIS in any of the following courses: GGR 201 (Geomorphology)/203 (Introduction to Climatology)/205 (Introduction to Soil Science)/206 (Introduction to Hydrology).
Nicole Freij
Nicole's research focuses on the application of geochemistry to mineral exploration. She looks at the chemical signatures of certain minerals associated with ore deposits, such as chlorite or pyrite, and how their element chemistry behaves. The presence of certain trace elements can give insight to the paragenesis of mineralization and can help determine where a mineral sample is located within an ore body.
UTAGA Outstanding Performance Award: Environmental Geography
Created by UTAGA in 2001, the purpose of this award is to recognize outstanding achievements by an undergraduate geography student in Environmental Geography.
Mingxin (Shayla) Wang
Mingxin Wang is a third-year student at the University of Toronto completing a double major in Human Geography and Criminology & Sociolegal Studies with a minor in Sociology. Mingxin’s recent work in geography draws on literature in environmental governance and political ecology to examine society-environment relations; specifically, she used theoretical frameworks of political economy and socionatures to examine how oysters mattered in New York City’s history and the ways in which they shape the contemporary city. Mingxin’s research interests also include urbanization, spatial polarization and injustices, neighbourhoods and health, and homelessness.
UTAGA Outstanding Performance Award: Physical Geography
Created by UTAGA in 2001, the purpose of this award is to recognize outstanding achievements by an undergraduate geography student in Physical Geography in any of the following courses: GGR 201 /203, 205, 206 .
Alex Jain
Alex is an undergraduate student in Physical Geography and Earth Sciences. Some of his favourite physical geography courses have been in hydrology and fluvial geomorphology and in the future he hopes to work in water resource management or stream restoration. A couple of his hobbies include hiking across the many wonderful parks in Southern Ontario, baking (especially cinnamon rolls) and reading modernist poetry.
UTAGA Outstanding Research Award
UTAGA applauds students who undertake independent research at the undergraduate level. This award is presented to the most outstanding research project undertaken in GGR 491, undergraduate thesis course, or GGR498/488, Independent Research Project.
Ben Mumford
Ben is a recent graduate from human geography and GIS. His main research interest looks at the effects of global climate change on urban development patterns and urban planning. Specifically he is interested in how modelling and GIS can be used to inform policy and design to create more sustainable cities.
Not pictured: Kyra Bingham
William G. Dean Scholarship in Field Research
Awarded to one or more students enrolled in a specialist or major program in the Department of Geography & Planning for field research. Scholarship will be awarded on the basis of academic merit and financial need.
Cathy Yang
Cathy (Mengxi) Yang is a recent graduate from the University of Toronto and has started her first year at Columbia University in their Master of Public Health program. Her research interests include spatial epidemiology, urban and neighbourhood health, and chronic diseases. In her graduate studies, she hopes to apply the foundational GIS and programming skills gained from coursework in the Department of Geography to evaluate health inequities related to housing and food inaccessibility.
Canadian Association of Geographers Award
This award is given to the most outstanding undergraduate student graduating from an honours program in geography from the University of Toronto.
Not pictured: Erica Liu