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.
Emily Borle
Leila Waihcene Tjiang
Leila recently graduated with a double major in Environmental Geography and Environmental Biology. During her final year at the University of Toronto, her research explored the role of social access and environmental availability factors in shaping food security across riverine communities in the Peruvian Amazon.
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.
Aryan Vijay Soral
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.
Yixin Wang
Yixin is a recent graduate of the Geography and Planning and Linguistics programs at the University of Toronto. Her very broad geo-related interests include GIS, remote sensing, geology, geophysics, glaciology and climate change. Her recent research projects embarked on utilizing GIS for orienteering site selection and investigating the formation and composition of soil organic carbon on a hillslope. Looking ahead, she plans to delve further into her geo-related pursuits and integrate GIS into her linguistic research.
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.
Emily Borle
John Horner Undergraduate Scholarship
Awarded to an undergraduate student in the Department of Geography & Planning based on academic merit.
Sonia Kazimi
Sonia is a fourth-year human geography and criminology & sociolegal studies major with a minor in diaspora & transnational studies. This September, she will pursue her juris doctor at Osgoode Hall Law School. Her academic and work experiences with the municipal government have equipped her with the necessary tools to recognize the ways in which privilege and lack thereof contribute to extreme inequities in urban spaces. By pursuing law in Toronto, she hopes to use her JD to help uplift and empower marginalized communities to make urban spaces accessible and beneficial for all.
Noah Ross
Noah’s main research interests focus on Housing Policy and Market Geography, with particular consideration to how the globalized financialization of housing has impacted people’s place and space. Since graduating, Noah has explored his diverse interests where he’s worked on youth policy projects, political campaigns and creative writing. Noah wants to thank the University of Toronto’s Human Geography faculty for producing an environment where learning and curiosity are encouraged. Noah either sees Law school, or a Masters in Market Geography in his future.
Nadia Forte
Nadia enjoys exploring a wide variety of academic interests, such as immigration, food insecurity, environmental injustice, housing, and social exclusion. She completed an internship with People Design Cooperative, where she conducted research on the development of multigenerational housing within the GTA. She currently works at Accessibility Services at the University of Toronto. Outside of work, she sits of the board of directors for the Brown Citizen Circle, which is a non-profit organization that aims to amplify the voices of underrepresented BIPOC youth across Canada. Through her work and volunteering she continues to foster her passion for creating a more equitable environment and society. Outside of work and volunteering she enjoys baking desserts for friends and family, and attending dance classes of various styles from Hip Hop to Bollywood to Kpop.
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. He 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.
Vinh Kien Diep
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.
Alex Jain
Alex is going into his final year studying Earth and Environmental Systems along with Physical and Environmental Geography. He is particularly interested in the fields of hydrology and geomorphology (especially fluvial and hillslope geomorphology) and hopes to work in a hydrology-related field in the future like wetland restoration. He has been grateful to be a part of two major physical geography research projects: one on the climatological energy balance of forest ecosystems and another on the variation in soil properties along a hillslope and hopes to be part of many more. In his spare time, he likes hiking the many beautiful landscapes of Southern Ontario (the Grotto at the Bruce Peninsula is a personal favourite) and spending time with his dog (a terrier and poodle mix) called Simba.
Daniel Wilson Scholarship in Science (Geography / Geology)
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 in honour of the late Sir. Daniel Wilson, President of University College, 1890-1892. This award is presented to a geography student in alternate years.
Emily Sakaguchi
Emily is studying human geography, urban studies, and geographic information systems (GIS). She has assisted with research on a variety of topics, including the recovery of Toronto's DIY music community post-COVID, the discourses that shape flood infrastructure, and methods to decolonize university education. This work was primarily qualitative and included methods such as focus groups and archival research. She has also worked within the local non-profit sector, conducting GIS analysis to help improve the provision of social housing geared towards low-income, senior women. Emily is looking towards a career in planning and GIS, and is particularly interested in housing policy.
William G. Dean Scholarship in Geography Field Research
Awarded to one or more students enrolled in a specialist or major program in the Department of Geography for field research. Scholarship will be awarded on the basis of academic merit and financial need.
Shulie Smolyanitsky
Shulie Smolyanitsky is a recent graduate of the Department of Geography & Planning with a Human Geography Specialist. Her research interests lie in the intersections of the urban built form and economic geographies within the context of the creative sector. She is currently on a gap year to pursue professional opportunities in the arts and cultural sector. Shulie looks forward to returning to the University of Toronto in Fall 2023 to begin the Geography MA program.
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.
Yu Bin Su
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.
Shulie Smolyanitsky
Shulie Smolyanitsky is a recent graduate of the Department of Geography & Planning with a Human Geography Specialist. Her research interests lie in the intersections of the urban built form and economic geographies within the context of the creative sector. She is currently on a gap year to pursue professional opportunities in the arts and cultural sector. Shulie looks forward to returning to the University of Toronto in Fall 2023 to begin the Geography MA program.
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.
Teagan Sharrock
Teagan is in her fourth year studying a double major in Physical and Environmental Geography and Indigenous Studies with a minor in Human Geography. Her academic work and studies have focused on the interactions of humans and their natural environment and, more specifically, the impacts of anthropogenic changes to the physical environment felt by Indigenous communities. Teagan hopes to expand her research interests on how physical geography research and Western science can impact and/or benefit Indigenous communities in a post-colonial Canada. She hopes to continue to learn from her community, peers, and instructors to develop a comprehensive knowledge base to create positive change in the world.
Anna Dzeina Zarina
Anna is graduating this spring with a Bachelor's degree, majoring in Environmental Geography and Environmental Science and a Forest Conservation minor. Throughout her time at UofT, she helped out the Toronto Undergraduate Geography Society as the Co-President and Social Coordinator. She also worked as a research assistant in UofT's Fire Management Systems Lab. Anna will be moving on to pursue a Master's degree in Sustainable Forest Management at the University of British Columbia this fall.
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.
Emily Sakaguchi
Emily is studying human geography, urban studies, and geographic information systems (GIS). She has assisted with research on a variety of topics, including the recovery of Toronto's DIY music community post-COVID, the discourses that shape flood infrastructure, and methods to decolonize university education. This work was primarily qualitative and included methods such as focus groups and archival research. She has also worked within the local non-profit sector, conducting GIS analysis to help improve the provision of social housing geared towards low-income, senior women. Emily is looking towards a career in planning and GIS, and is particularly interested in housing policy.
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).
Yiannie Lin
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.
K.M. Kumal Dithsura Udamulla
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.
Sabrina Wong
Sabrina recently completed her third year studying a double major in Earth & Environmental Systems and Economics. Within geography, she is interested in hydrology, Earth observation/remote sensing, and GIS (geographic information systems). In the upcoming year, Sabrina will be completing her undergraduate thesis comparing the formation of river deltas on Earth and Mars using hydrological modelling, carrying on from a project she is working on this summer at the European Space Agency. Sabrina is interested in environmental justice as well and has engaged in non-profit work around climate change. Within the geography community, she looks forward to continuing her involvement on TUGS (the undergraduate geography union) this fall as Vice President.
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.
Sara Maclure
Sara's research evaluates climate change education in the Ontario high school curricula and how it might impact subsequent climate action. She is particularly interested in climate advocacy and multifaceted education methods that warrant behaviour changes that ensure are more sustainable and resilient future.
Leila Waihcene Tjiang
Leila recently graduated with a double major in Environmental Geography and Environmental Biology. During her final year at the University of Toronto, her research explored the role of social access and environmental availability factors in shaping food security across riverine communities in the Peruvian Amazon.