QTBIPOC and International Students are encouraged to reach out to one of our QTBIPOC and/or International Student Mentors to learn more about our programs, and about student life in Graduate Geography and Planning. Please see mentor bios and contact information following the program description.
Questions about application instructions, minimum qualifications, program requirements and funding eligibility can be directed to graduate.geography@utoronto.ca or graduate.planning@utoronto.ca.
Current students interested in joining the QTBIPOC & International Student Admissions Peer Support Program as a mentor, please contact Rajyashree Narayanareddy (rajyashree.narayanareddy@utoronto.ca) or Hulya Arik (hulya.arik@utoronto.ca).
Program Description
Graduate Geography and Planning is piloting a QTBIPOC & International Student Admissions Peer Support initiative. The intention of this work is to build more equitable and supportive application processes for QTBIPOC and international applicants to graduate programs in the Department of Geography & Planning. Data gathered as part of this initiative will support the longer-term development of knowledge, resources, and infrastructure to support a larger and permanent outreach and mentoring initiative.
Mentors
Vineetha Nalla
PhD Planning (she/her)
vineetha.nalla@mail.utoronto.ca
I am a second-year PhD student at the department of Geography and Planning, from India. My research interests span across themes of urban risk, disaster risk reduction and recovery, resilience, urban planning and affordable housing – primarily in the Global South. Through my doctoral project, I am exploring the intersections of urban planning, identity-based politics and the production of disaster risk in urban areas across India. I hold an MSc from University College London, where I studied as a Commonwealth Scholar, and a Bachelor's degree in Architecture from the School of Planning and Architecture in India. Outside of my academic work, I enjoy cycling around Toronto and playing badminton. Feel free to reach out if you have questions about life as an international student at UofT, graduate courses, being a teaching assistant, or if you’d just like to connect!
Jaime Fung
MSc. Planning (she/her/hers)
jaime.fung@mail.utoronto.ca
My name is Jaime (she/her). I am a second year MSc. Planning candidate. My research looks into the intersections of labour geographies and transit-oriented development. I delve into literature on how transit infrastructure affects the connectivity of workers to their workplaces and how these changes might lead to shifts in the labor economies, gentrification, and displacement. Originally from Vancouver BC, I moved out to Toronto for my undergraduate studies where I obtained an HBA Specialization in Human Geography (Planning focus) and Minor in Environmental Geography. Outside of my studies, I often catch myself biking to new gelato spots and cafes around the city! Feel free to reach out on questions about the planning program, campus life and employment networks on campus, moving to a new city, or anything planning related!
Abdul-Salam Ibrahim
PhD Planning
as.ibrahim@mail.utoronto.ca
Abdul-Salam Ibrahim is a Ph.D. (Planning) candidate in the Department of Geography and Planning. His research uses community-based approaches to study gentrification, displacement tendencies and community engagement in urban regeneration, urban climate resilience planning, urban land administration and urban sustainability transitions. Abdul's Ph.D. project explores the potential of community-based approaches, including participatory GIS, to enhance urban climate resilience in a socially equitable manner, moving away from traditional top-down solutions. He is a fellow at the Canada Excellence Research Chair Network for Sustainability Transitions (CERC NEST), where he works with Professor Patricia Romero-Lankao on equity and justice in urban energy and sustainability transitions using innovative transdisciplinary methods that connect knowledge with action in Toronto, Los Angeles, and Mexico City. Besides his academic pursuits, Abdul enjoys playing football (Soccer) and watching his favourite team in the EPL. Please feel free to reach out with any questions about graduate studies (courses), preparing for your annual meeting, the comprehensive exam, being a Teaching Assistant, and connecting with other international students.
Rouzbeh Akhbari
PhD Candidate (he/him)
rouzbeh.akhbari@mail.utoronto.ca
My name is Rouzbeh (he/him), and I was born and raised in Tehran. I originally came to Toronto as an international student in 2010 and am currently a 4th-year PhD candidate in human geography. My background is in fine arts with degrees in sculpture and visual studies, and my current research-driven artistic and geographic practice exists at the intersections of storytelling, political ecology, border studies and critical infrastructures. I joined the department as a FAST (Faculty of Arts and Science Top Doctoral) fellow and have been conducting my fieldwork thanks to a SSHRC CGS D scholarship. I have had the honor of being the recipient of numerous awards and project grants including the Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, the Prix George for the Best Documentary Form at Kurzfilmtage Winterthur, and the l'internationale fellowship, jointly administered by the Van Abbemuseum (Eindhoven) and M HKA (Antwerp). Besides geography and arts, I am a big fan of sci-fi (Liu Cixin is my favorite) and historical archives (especially maritime records). Feel free to reach out to me with any questions related to our department or the application process. I will be happy to hear from you and share my experiences of accessing resources and guidance across the university.
Maryam Owodunni
PhD Student, Graduate Geography, 3rd Year (she/her)
owodunni.maryam@mail.utoronto.ca
My research interests are urban place-making & rights to the city, Sino-African relations, and African urban futures. I currently seek to understand the everyday lives of Chinese and African migrants, the effect of the encounters between these migrants and the local population on the urban landscape, and how these relationships and encounters impact the hegemonic narratives on Sino-African relations. Decolonial theories, urban political ecologies, political economy and diaspora studies inform my work. I am a proud Black Muslim Nigerian who called the city of Suzhou in Jiangsu province China, home for about half a decade. Beyond geography, I enjoy language learning, volunteering, cooking for friends and family, trying out new recipes and listening to podcasts in Chinese and French. Please feel free to reach out with any questions about being an international student, graduate courses, working as a Teaching Assistant, coping with school and caregiving responsibilities, etc.
Notice of Collection
Our peer support initiative is part of a program wide quality improvement and mentoring development initiative. Student mentors may take notes during your conversations. None of this recorded information will include elements that would enable anyone to specifically identify you in the data. These notes could include information about the questions you’ve asked, concerns you might have, the program you are interested in, the date and method of contact, keywords used to summarize your correspondence, and a general description of the location (globally) where you have contacted us from. Our mentors will also record information about the programs, subdisciplines, or concentrations in geography or planning that you have expressed some interest in. It is our aim to better serve students interested in our programs, we thank you for reaching out and for sharing your time with us.
If you have any questions about this data collection initiative and how your information might be used, please contact Jasmine Kara (Event & Communications Coordinator) at events@geog.utoronto.ca.