Catalina Barinas, Co-President

Hello! I am one of the TUGS presidents for the 2020-2021 academic year. I am currently in my fourth-year, pursuing a dual major in Philosophy and Human Geography with focusses in Planning and

Urban Geography, and minoring in geographic information systems (GIS). In view of my Geography and Planning career, I am enthusiastic about transportation and public health, particularly how they correlate and offer valuable information to improve urban spaces. Besides being a scholar, I enjoy reading anything philosophy, a good run, and photography. I am excited to be a person of guidance for undergraduates this academic year. If you have any questions for me or the executive team, please do not hesitate and reach out to us!

Jasmine Kara, Co-President

I’m a fifth year student specializing in Human Geography with a Focus in Planning. This is my third year involved with TUGS, as previous Social Coordinator and ongoing Vice President. I dedicate a great amount of my time to extra curricular activities and non-for-profit organizations by assisting with my event planning skills and social media expertise at UofT. In my studies, I’m passionate about studying urban inequality, and the historical and political forces that shape city planning. I not only thrive off of my extra curricular activities and studies, but I am extremely enthusiastic when it comes to my position on TUGS. I will continuously advocate and represent the undergraduate students with academic support, seminars and social events that will help bring new opportunities and fulfilling experiences to them. As I near graduation, I will continue to work with alumni and department members to build a stronger geography network. I look forward to being a part of the TUGS team this upcoming year!

Kathryna Cuizon, Media Officer

Hi there! I’m Kathryna Cuizon the media officer this year for TUGS. I am currently completing my major in human geography as well as a specialist in the architectural design program. Both programs have allowed me to broaden my interests in design strategies, fine art, environmental sustainability practices, public health and culture. In my spare time I love rock climbing, spending my time at the parks in Toronto and eating all kinds of food. Learning to adapt online may be a challenging process this year, however I hope to connect with you all and share your interests and ideas through our media platforms. Let’s keep in touch as much as possible!  

Teagan Sharrock, Social Coordinator

Hello! I am excited to be your Social Coordinator for this year and can’t wait to meet all of U of T’s fellow geography students! I am currently in my second year, pursuing a double major in Human Geography and Physical and Environmental Geography with a minor in Indigenous Studies. With a geophysicist as a

father and a geologist as a grandfather, my passion for geography began quite early and has only broadened since then. I’m an avid traveller and I enjoy experiencing and learning about different environments and cultures, and hope to expand my knowledge through U of T. Outside of school, I love to hike, spend time with my dog, and read. Although this year is very limiting in a lot of ways, you can almost certainly find me searching for coffee around Toronto and studying at Gerstein, dreaming about when the borders are open again!

Isabel Napier, Human Geography Representative

Hello! My name is Isabel and this is my second year as your Human Geography representative! I’m currently in my fourth year, completing a double major in Human Geography and French, with a minor in Education. I love geography for its ability to broaden my understanding of how the world and people in it exist and interact, and I particularly enjoy studying cultural and feminist geographies. Outside of school I can be found making art, running or reading in a park. I love to hear about the interests of fellow geographers and will miss being on campus this year, but I’m excited to see you at our upcoming virtual events!

Quinn Goranson, Environmental Geography Representative

Hey everyone! I am the Environmental Geography representative on TUGS this year. I am in my fourth year at UofT double majoring in Env. Geo and Environmental Studies with a minor in Political Science. I have been passionate about the natural environment since I was little and one day hope to be an environmental lawyer to protect what I love. I am interested in Climate Justice and Sustainability. Outside of school I love to paint (landscapes of course) and kayak! I am psyched to be a part of TUGS again this year and cannot wait to represent the department I love and encourage students to learn more about the environment around them and how they can foster a more eco-conscious and sustainable mindset.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about the department or program, or if you just want to talk about the Earth!

Oliver Bassan, Physical Geography Representative

Hello everyone! My name is Oliver and I am the physical geography representative for TUGS for the 2020-2021 academic year. I am currently a third-year student with a specialist in physical and environmental geography and minors in statistics and mathematics. In the past few years, I’ve found a great appreciation for physical geography here at U of T through the courses I’ve taken and the many wonderful professors and classmates I’ve met and so I joined TUGS to get more involved with the geography department and to give back to this amazing community. In terms of subjects, I find learning about the massive spatial and temporal scales that some of the Earth’s processes operate on, especially ones related to glaciers and glacial landscapes, to be so incredible and really give you a sense of how small we are compared to our planet. This year I will be attending school remotely from back home in Montreal, but you’ll likely find me in some of your second- and third-year physical geography courses. In my free time I like to collect vinyl records, go for walks and runs, and normally I would be playing intramural ultimate frisbee with the New College team. Please feel free to reach out with any questions you have about TUGS events or geography courses and programs or even just to say hi! I’m always happy to meet new people!”

Caroline Tam, GIS Representative

Hello! My name is Caroline Tam, and I am the GIS representative this year. I am a third-year student double specializing in Human Geography and Urban Studies and minoring in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). I have always been interested in geography and cities and I look forward to pursuing a career in Urban Planning. I am specifically interested in urban sustainability, design, and land-use planning.  I am looking forward to working with my fellow executive members to provide students in the Geography department with GIS focused events. In my spare time, I enjoy hiking, paddle-boarding, and trying new cooking recipes! Please do not hesitate to reach out, I am always happy to talk about planning, GIS, or cities in general!