Graduate Program - Departmental Awards

The Brian Luckman Award

Based on academic achievement, this award is for Canadian graduate students in Physical Geography. Applicants must meet Ontario residency requirements.  Preference will be given to applicants not holding a major external scholarship; therefore, recipients will be chosen in April after the Tri-Council/OGS awards are announced.

Value $900

Deadline:  December 1

How to apply?

The department's Graduate Awards Committee uses the statement from the applicant's OGS/ST and Tri-Council application (or current statement of research if not currently applying for another award).  The recipient is selected by the Graduate Awards Committee in consultation with a representative of the School of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies.  Contact the GeoGrad Admin for details.

The Allen K. Philbrick Scholarship in Cultural Geography

Awarded to a full-time Ph.D. student in good standing who is studying Cultural Geography, based on academic achievement (min. 80% average). To be eligible, a student must be in Years 2 to 4 of a Ph.D. program and be undertaking research on some cultural process or cultural phenomena's spatial impact on the on the human environment. A committee in the Department of Geography, with at least one representative who is a current member of the School of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies will select the recipient.

Value $1000

Deadline:  May 31

How to apply?

Fill out the attached application and return it to the Graduate Administrator.  The department's Graduate Awards Committee adjudicates these awards.  Contact the Graduate Administrator for details.

The Michael Troughton Bursary

This bursary was established by friends and family through Foundation Western to honour Michael J. Troughton (PhD Geography '70) who, upon his retirement, was the longest-serving member of the Geography Department at Western.

Awarded to a full-time graduate student in Geography based on academic achievement (minimum 78% average), preference will be given to a student in Year 2 of the Master's program or Years 2 to 4 of the PhD program, who is conducting research in the area of environment and sustainability within a rural context.  Applicants cannot hold a major external scholarship.  Recipients will be chosen in April 2009 after the Tri-Council/OGS awards are announced. 

Value $1,000

Deadline:  December 1

How to apply?

Fill out the attached application and return to the Graduate Administrator.  The department's Graduate Awards Committee adjudicates these awards. Contact the Graduate Administrator for other details.  

The Edward G. Pleva Fellowship

The Edward G. Pleva Fellowship is awarded in April each year to a full-time student enrolled in a graduate program in Geography in order of the following priorities:

• Graduates of UWO Honours Geography enrolled in the first year program leading to degree of Master of Arts or Master of Science.

• Graduates of any university enrolled as per (i) above.

• Holders of a Master's degree from UWO or other university who are enrolled in the first year of a program of full-time studies at UWO leading to the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Geography.

• A student entering second year of the Master's degree program enumerated above in (i) (ii) and (iii).

• A student entering second year of the PhD program in (iii) above.

A student may hold the award only once in each degree program. 

Value 2 at up to $1000

How to apply?

The recipient is selected by the Scholarship Committee of the Department of Geography.

ESRI GIS Award (Faculty Award)

The Faculty of Social Science is pleased to announce the renewal of a new graduate award sponsored by ESRI Canada Ltd.  This was formerly a Departmental award, but is now offered to all students in Social Science.  The recipient must be a student in a Faculty of Social Science graduate program who has enrolled in a graduate GIS course and/or is using advanced GIS analysis to conduct/support their graduate thesis research.  In selecting the recipient, two factors will be considered:

1)    Academic achievement (minimum 78% average) as reflected in transcripts (50% weight).  This will be provided by the Department.

2)    A 250-word statement that describes how the applicant’s research will benefit from, or is innovative in, the use of GIS software.  This submission must be double spaced in 12-point font, and include the applicant’s student and SIN numbers.   

The scholarship consists of the following:

• A one-time payment of $1,500
• Complimentary student licenses of ArcGIS software including:
• ArcEditor     ArcScan     Maplex
• Spatial Analyst     3D-Analyst    Geostatistical Analyst
• Network Analyst    ArcGIS Publisher   ArcInfo
• 1 copy of “Modeling Our World”
• 1 copy of “The ESRI Guide to GIS Analysis”
• 1 copy of “Getting to Know ArcGIS Desktop”
• Access to ESRI’s Virtual Campus for one year
• Complimentary registration for one ESRI Regional User Conference

value of above: $5,000

Deadline:  Oct 29 to Graduate Administrator

How to apply?

Provide the 250-word statement both in hard-copy and electronic formats to the Graduate Assistant before the due date - the Graduate Assistant will forward with transcript to the Associate Dean - OR send your transcript and statement directly to the Associate Dean (Jerry White).  Award winners may be asked to provide a presentation to ESRI about how the software supports(ed) their research.  The selection committee will be chosen by the Associate Dean, Graduate Education, Policy and Planning, Faculty of Social Science, who will also be an ex-officio member of the committee.

The E. G. Pleva Prize for Excellence as a Graduate Teaching Assistant

Awarded annually to the best two students enrolled in a Geography graduate program who have been judged to be the best Teaching Assistants during the previous academic year.  Students may not win the award more than twice. 

Value 2 at $450

How to apply?

The recipients are selected by the Geography Department based on the Teaching Assistant evaluations conducted each term.  Award winners are announced in May.

E. G. Pleva Travel Award

Awarded no more than twice. 

Value 2 at $450

How to apply?

The recipients are selected by the Geography Department.

Geography Graduate Travel Awards (Feb. 1)

These awards are to assist with conference travel – and in rare cases, thesis-related travel.  You may apply for one trip per fiscal year (May 1 – April 30).  

Value - determined by the Graduate Travel budget each year.  Typically, the budget is divided equally among applicants so get your application form in by the Feb 1 deadline.

Deadline:  February 1

How to apply?

Here is the request for Graduate Travel form.  Submit the completed form to the Graduate Administrator.  Deadline for application: Feb 1.

CAG Memberships

Awarded to the graduate students with the highest combined mark in 9099 and 9998, as well as the current President or Co-Presidents of the Geograd Society.  Awarded in November.

Value $45

How to apply?

The recipients are selected by the Geography Department based on marks and Geograd service.  Administered by Graduate Administrator.

Please direct enquiries on fellowships and scholarships to the Graduate Administrator.

**New for 2010 - CAG Student Travel Grant

To be eligible for the 2011 CAG Student Travel Grant students must have held CAG membership in 2010 as well as in 2011. All 2010 membership application forms plus payment must be received by Dec. 30, 2010 in order to qualify to apply for the 2011 travel grant.

Our ONLINE membership application form for 2010 is still available until the end of Sept at http://www.cag-acg.ca/en/online_application.html.  After Sept 30/10 only the PDF version will be available and must be downloaded and mailed with payment. 

Our membership year runs from January to December.  For complete details see our website at http://www.cag-cg.ca/en/student_travel_grant.html 

Also see Membership Benefits at http://www.cag-acg.ca/en/benefits.html

The 2011 CAG Annual Meeting will be hosted by the University of Calgary -May 31-June 4.