Vivek Goel Faculty Citizenship Awards have been bestowed on Joseph Desloges, a professor in the Departments of Earth Sciences and Geography & Planning, and Dickson Eyoh, an associate professor in the Department of Political Science and acting principal of New College.
Presented to senior faculty members in recognition of their invaluable contributions to U of T in various leadership roles, the award was created in 2008 in honour of Vivek Goel’s many contributions to the University, most recently as Vice-President and Provost. The honour is one of the Awards of Excellence presented by the University of Toronto Alumni Association in collaboration with the University.
“Joseph Desloges and Dickson Eyoh represent Faculty leaders whose accomplishments go well beyond the lecture hall, lab or library,” says Melanie Woodin, dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science. “They both demonstrate the ways in which we can contribute to students’ health, well-being and success. Congratulations to them both on this honour.”
Desloges’ research focuses on the effects of humans and climate change on river floodplains and landscapes dominated by glaciers. He is being recognized for his commitment to student mental health and student success. As provostial advisor on Student Mental Health Process Redesign (2020 - 2022), he made vital contributions to the University’s rethinking and improvement of student mental health supports.
Desloges also made invaluable contributions as principal of Woodsworth College (2008 - 2019) and as the chair of the geography and planning department (1998 - 2007) and is recognized as a mentor and leader dedicated to the success of faculty, as well as undergraduate and graduate students.
“It is a true honour to be a recipient of this award,” says Desloges. “Citizenship to me involves being deeply engaged in a community just as our former provost and vice president Professor Goel was. It has been my absolute privilege to be engaged across all three campuses — and especially in Arts & Science — with terrific students, staff, faculty and alumni on issues of importance to the UofT community.”
Eyoh is the first individual to be honoured with two Awards of Excellence. In addition to the Faculty Citizenship Award, he is a member of the Department of Political Science’s curriculum steering committee, which won the Northrop Frye Award.
Eyoh’s research interests include political economy of development, state-society relations in Africa, identities and politics in Africa, and Africanist discourses on development. Among the many contributions earning him the distinction, Eyoh is being recognized for his commitment to the African Studies program at New College — including 14 years as its director — and his valued role as a mentor to students from Africa taking part in the MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program.
“It is gratifying and humbling to be a recipient of the Vivek Goel citizenship award,” says Eyoh. “It is an individual award but for me, it is recognition of the collaboration over the years with colleagues in programs and initiatives across the University. I have been privileged to be associated with the efforts over the years that have been focused on enriching the experience of, especially, undergraduate students. And I am flattered that many of these colleagues considered me worthy of the prize to nominate me.”
Original article by Chris Sasaki - A&S News - posted here.