Mapping change for people and the planet

For 35 years, the Geography Alumni Graduate Scholarship has inspired students to advance an inclusive and sustainable future using the ingenuity, skills, and creativity unique to the discipline of geography.

Thanks to a thoughtful gift in his will by a devoted SFU geography alumnus, the endowed fund has since more than doubled, allowing for more students to receive the support they need to thrive and propel research with real-world impact.

Far from the common misconception that geography is all about memorizing maps, these students are tackling problems as diverse as the questions they seek to answer:

• How does a person’s access to health and social services influence drug use and overdose?
• What can local governments do to improve food security?
• Why are some trees flourishing while others experience dieback?

Examining the relationship between the built environment, drug use, and overdose in B.C.

Doctoral student Benjamin Lartey (MA ’24) credits the scholarship for enabling him to deeply focus on his research around how the geography of where people live, work, and play has an active and powerful role in shaping their overdose outcomes. One of his key findings to date speaks to how the built environment transcends physical spaces to encompass social, political, and economic impacts that affect health.

“What really struck me was how people navigate spaces that are structured by factors like policing, social norms, and economic pressures,” he says. “It’s a reminder that research is not simply theoretical but grounded in lived experiences that can inform how we design public health interventions and more equitable health and social policies.”

Benjamin’s hope is that this research will support policy decisions that consider the realities people face in their everyday environment and, for example, help determine where to better position critical resources like harm reduction services or supportive housing.

Combatting food insecurity

Tiana Andjelic (BEnv ’23), a current master’s student, is similarly working to identify suitable sites, but for future community garden plots across the Metro Vancouver region. As food prices continue to soar, one way to address rising food insecurity for residents is to increase access to fresh and affordable produce right within their communities.

By looking at place-based factors like slope, proximity to residential areas, and population density, Tiana is able to create maps that show various locations that may or may not have potential for building gardens—and changing current food practices to be more sustainable and attainable.

Tiana is now in the process of finalizing the final draft of what will be her first published research paper—an incredible milestone that was supported through the scholarship.

“Being a graduate student is a job in itself, so having this funding has truly made a big difference,” she says. “Because my research is focused on Metro Vancouver, it has made it that much more special to know my work might have an impact in a place I’ve called home my entire life.”

Exploring flow through forests

While Benjamin and Tiana are community-focused with their research, Brandon Drucker, who was drawn to SFU and Vancouver from the United States, is seeking to promote environmental balance. His master’s research examines how water, climate, and plant physiology interact to shape future forests, and why some tree species are becoming more abundant while others are dying.

Before moving to B.C. to study at SFU, Brandon worked for a municipal government in the U.S. and plans to return to public service, as well as teach, after he graduates.

“My experience at SFU affirmed my appreciation for teaching, which I hope to continue in some form,” he says. “It’s thanks to this scholarship that I am able to perform better as a researcher, student, and teaching assistant.”

Empowering future generations

Since 1990, the Geography Alumni Graduate Scholarship Endowment fund has uplifted 32 students like Benjamin, Tiana, and Brandon, creating an enduring legacy that continues to empower students to tackle challenges that build a better world.

“The impact of this award can be seen in every graduate student recipient,” says Nicholas Blomley, chair of SFU’s Department of Geography.