{"id":51628,"date":"2018-11-08T16:35:34","date_gmt":"2018-11-08T21:35:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsroom.carleton.ca\/?post_type=cu_story&p=51628"},"modified":"2025-09-30T10:19:21","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T14:19:21","slug":"first-students-graduate-from-northern-studies-program","status":"publish","type":"cu_story","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/story\/first-students-graduate-from-northern-studies-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Fall Convocation: First Students Graduate from Northern Studies Program"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Fall Convocation: First Students Graduate from Northern Studies Program\n <\/h1>\n \n <\/header>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/path>\n <\/path>\n <\/svg>\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

Michelle Olejarz, Michael Scarizzi and Sigogini Sivarajah are among the first group of students who have successfully completed the Northern Studies<\/a> graduate program at Carleton University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The interdisciplinary graduate program started in September 2017, emphasizing northern environments and societies. Students are given the option of course-based master\u2019s degrees and graduate diplomas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Geography Prof. Christopher Burn<\/a>, who supervises the program, says he\u2019s proud of the students\u2019 achievements. \u201cI am delighted that all of these students have graduated. They demonstrated that the program is manageable as conceived.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Part of the program includes field courses. Burn accompanied students first for a week of travel and study at Moose Factory, Ont., in Sept. 2017 and then for three weeks in the Yukon and western Arctic last July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey met many northerners and gained a wide exposure to the sorts of activities that go into making northern communities and governments successful and sustainable,\u201d says Burn. \u201cThe course is held at the end of their program so that the students can see for themselves the contexts and issues they have been learning about through the year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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Drawn to the North<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Olejarz completed a bachelor of science in Physical Geography<\/a> with a minor in Earth Science and, after working with Burn, felt the natural next step was to pursue a master\u2019s of science in Northern Studies. Currently in school to become a geography teacher, Olejarz is hoping to continue specializing in the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy internship from my master\u2019s brought me to work in the Yukon as a permafrost researcher at the Yukon Research Centre with the Northern Climate Exchange and, after having done and enjoyed that, there is a chance I may continue to work in my field after my BEd,\u201d says Olejarz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Michael Scarizzi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Scarizzi also studied Physical Geography during his undergraduate years and wanted to continue studying northern environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhile the program is interdisciplinary by nature, the emphasis of studying and learning about the biophysical, policy and social environments of northern Canada drew me to this program as an educational opportunity,\u201d says Scarizzi. \u201cClimate change effects in northern Canada are much more convoluted than just the physical impacts to the landscape. Therefore, incorporating the social and policy implications for northern Canada and its communities was an attractive component.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The field course requirement left a strong impression with Scarizzi, who is currently working in Whitehorse on a project addressing climate-related geo-hazards on northern transportation networks built on permafrost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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