Provost and Vice-President (Academic) L. Pauline Rankin and Vice-Provost & Associate Vice-President (Academic) David Hornsby, along with the Faculty Deans, presented 10 undergraduate Carleton students with Provost Scholar Awards on Tuesday, April 9.
Funded by the Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic) and administered by Teaching and Learning Services, the Provost Scholar Award is valued at $1,000 and is given to undergraduate students who have demonstrated outstanding achievements in research, community engagement, immersive learning and/or international activities.
The Peter J. Ricketts Outstanding Provost Scholar Award was established in 2019 and is given to an outstanding recipient of the Provost Scholar Award. The award is named for Peter J. Ricketts, who served as the Provost and Vice-President (Academic) at Carleton for eight years. This year’s award, worth an additional $1,700, was presented to Cosette Arseneault-Deraps.
Congratulations to the recipients of the 2024 Provost Scholar Awards!
Cosette Arseneault-Deraps is a fourth-year Indigenous Studies Student with a minor in Environmental Studies and an I-CUREUS intern working to co-design a research framework with Indigenous communities around Slave Lake, Alberta. Her goal is to amplify the heterogeneity of Indigenous perspectives when it comes to research. Concurrently, she is developing a typology for genomics applications in forestry to map public perceptions of them. Cosette is also a member of the Fisheries and Indigenous Relations Committee for the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and the Indigenous Relations Officer for the American Fisheries Society.
Kathryn Jajo-Yacoub is a fourth-year Cognitive Science student who is committed to making an impact. In 2022, Kathryn collaborated with Professor Deepthi Kamawar through the Students as Partners Program (SaPP), updating the Cognitive and Child Development curriculum and integrating inclusive and diverse research. She was awarded an I-CUREUS and an NSERC-USRA grant focusing on the impact of token-based reward systems on children's saving behaviour. Kathryn's dedication extends beyond academics; she holds leadership positions in student organizations and actively contributes to campus life.
Alia is a fourth-year Biomedical Mechanical Engineering student with an exceptional range of undergraduate research and volunteer experience. In 2019, her first year at Carleton, Alia worked in Professor John D. Hayes’ lab where she devised a new algebraic method for synthesizing and analyzing 4-bar linkages. In her second and third years, Alia worked in Professor Cynthia Cruickshank’s CU-CABER lab where she focused on quantifying the thermophysical properties and chemical stability of bio-based phase change materials (PCMs) to reduce carbon emissions through passive thermal energy storage in building materials. In her fourth year, Alia is collaborating with Professor Irina Garces on developing an algorithm based on Cellular Automata to 3D print self-growing and self-repairing structures. In her final semester, she is partnering with Professors Garces and Biglarbegian to design and develop a wearable assistive vest that leverages artificial muscles fibers and soft robotics to mitigate fatigue and prevent injury among workers.
Parker Stewart is a fourth-year Aerospace Engineering student with potential to develop innovative contributions to the field of space robotics. He has worked as a Research Assistant in Professor Steve Ulrich’s Spacecraft Robotics and Control Laboratory, first under a Directed Studies course and then under funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Undergraduate Student Research Award. In addition, as a co-op student at MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA Space), Parker was directly involved in the development of sensor systems for the Canadaarm3; Northrop Grumman’s Commercial Resupply Services (CRS2 B3); and JAXA’s Martian Moons Exploration (MMX).
Karenna Chen is an exceptional Global and International Studies student who is focused on the sociocultural significance of public murals in Ottawa’s Chinatown. She has devoted her time to researching a variety of fields and has been contributing to the Ethnography Lab’s project to document and analyze Carleton's tunnel murals. Karenna has also been the Outreach Lead for Climate Action Carleton, coordinating with allied groups at Carleton and nationally. In addition, she was the Community Chair and Vice-President of Rotaract Club of Ottawa South.
Simon Harris is a fourth-year Public Affairs and Policy Management student who strives to blend research and teaching with their activism for transformative justice. As a research assistant with Professor Amanda Clarke, Simon assisted in conducting research related to the role and influence of external actors within the policy development process. Simon was instrumental in leading CUSA's recent democratic reform investigation and report before jumpstarting its new Board of Directors. Simon was also a 2022-2023 Killam Fellow with Fulbright Canada at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
Steven A. Robinson is a fourth-year Environmental Science student with the ability to inspire those around him. Steven has demonstrated how adept he is at working with a variety of stakeholders. In his honors thesis, Steven is collaborating with an interdisciplinary team that includes the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority and Parks Canada to help these organizations adapt their management practices to reduce shoreline erosion and habitat destruction. He has presented his research to government partners and local stakeholders as well as at the 2024 Society of Canadian Aquatic Scientists Annual Conference.
Jesukhogie Williams-Ikhenoba is a fourth-year Neuroscience and Mental Health student who serves Carleton in diverse roles while maintaining a near perfect GPA and exceptional research productivity. He co-authored a work featured on the cover of the Journal of Comparative Neurology on quantifying brain cells expressing beta-klotho and mapping their spatial distribution on brain atlas templates. In this role, he was responsive, productive and dependable, thus earning prominent independent roles on subsequent projects on MCH cells. As a co-op student with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, he adapted and expanded his molecular biology skills and returned to lab with renewed excitement. Jesukhogie is also very involved in campus life and operations as a Campus Tour Guide and a Telecounselor.
Matthew Paul George Roach is a Bachelor of Commerce student concentrating in Accounting who exemplifies student engagement. Matthew is currently President of the Sprott Tax Students Association (STSA) and has led their annual Community Volunteer Tax Clinic for two years helping over 400 students. As a teaching assistant, Matthew has taught over 1,500 students in several business courses and is currently Head TA for Introduction to Financial Accounting and Accounting for Business Combinations. In addition to his role on the STSA, he is currently the VP of Strategy for the Sprott Students’ Finance Association and the Sprott Accounting Students’ Association.
Tasneem Zreg is a Bachelor of Commerce student with an impressive range of immersive learning and community engagement experience. As Project Manager and Team Lead with ‘Sprott Shares’, she has lead a team of MBA and Business Analytics interns in building the 5-year strategic plan. Tasneem also serves as Senior Partner with the Sprott Consulting Group and is the Founder and President of CU in the Community. Tasneem has similarly been outstanding with her role as Business Incubator Program Coordinator at the Innovation Hub.