Geographic Analysis program celebrates 50th Anniversary
On Thursday, November 28, 2024, the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) hosted the Geographic Analysis 50th Anniversary and Awards Reception. The event welcomed over 190 attendees, including alumni, former professors, current Geographic Analysis and Environment and Urban Sustainability students, faculty and staff from across TMU to celebrate the history that put Geographic Analysis “on the map.”
Interim Chair of the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Tor Oiamo. Photo by Sam Dano.
The Bachelor of Applied Arts (BAA) in Applied Geography began in Fall 1974 at the then-Ryerson Polytechnic Institute. From its budding beginnings, the program flourished in Toronto's dynamic and changing landscapes, burgeoning into the current Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Geographic Analysis (GA) at Toronto Metropolitan University. The Department of Geography and Environmental Studies now also houses the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Environment and Urban Sustainability and the MSA in Spatial Analysis, and it plays a major role in the interdisciplinary MA and PhD in Environmental Applied Science and Management programs.
Since 1974, the program has graduated nearly 1700 students who have gone on to successful careers in various industries, including retail, tech, real estate, finance, construction, government, private sector agencies, data science, project management, academia and beyond.
Tor Oiamo, Interim Chair of the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, began the event with a land acknowledgement. Oiamo reminded attendees of the unique responsibilities geographers have to “take action to integrate Indigenous knowledge and traditional relations with the land into our teaching and society.”
Oiamo recognized the accomplishments of his colleagues and staff in the department in organizing the event to commemorate the rich history of Geographic Analysis. Addressing current faculty, he remarked: “We have collectively been awarded $13.6 million worth of direct research funding to the department over the last 10 years.”
“Topics that we're leaders contributing to research on include geospatial methods, immigration and settlement, environmental health, wastewater surveillance, infectious disease, First Nations and capacity building, urban watersheds, flood risks and mitigation, environmental justice, aging and society, urban development and mobility, sustainability indicators, and business geomatics, just to name a few,” Oiamo shared.
“Today students of the program are immersed in the world of cutting edge geographic information systems mapping and remote sensing technology. But although technology brought modernization to the program, its students both then and now have always been focused on innovation. They are now finding creative solutions to tackle the challenges we confront in our everyday lives.” – President and Vice-Chancellor Mohamed Lachemi.
Photo by Sam Dano.
Left: The Ryersonian, February 21, 1974 / Courtsey of TMU Archives. Right: Forum, November 11, 1994 / Courtsey of TMU Archives.
Following opening remarks, President and Vice-Chancellor Mohamed Lachemi reflected on how Geographic Analysis’ predecessor, Applied Geography, laid the groundwork for the university. As the first stand-alone degree offered by Ryerson Polytechnic Institute, the program reflected a pivotal transformation in the institution’s history. “I'm an engineer,” shared President Lachemi, “so I always ask if we have solid foundations to continue to grow and I would say this department and the program here is really one of the first pillars of the history of the University.”
The BAA in Applied Geography was a trailblazer—President Lachemi revealed—“the first program of this kind in Canada.” Recognizing the incredible accomplishments of alumni from the program, President Lachemi beamed when mentioning Toronto Metropolitan’s ranking in the top 10 in employability amongst Canadian Universities, according to Times Higher Education 2025 Rankings (external link) —a testament to programs like Geographic Analysis that instill key skills for the next generation of global leaders..
“[The University] has fully transformed itself at least three times. It's a story like none other in the educational terms of this country.”
During his remarks, Dennis Mock, Professor and Vice-President Academic Emeritus, reminisced about the program’s early days—its first admitted class, field trips, and undergraduate theses. Mock recalled the remarkable history of the program and how it traversed new ground.
“The first 4-year standalone degree program, the first compulsory internship in a degree program, the university's first Social Science and Humanities Research Council grant, the first major Foundation grant, the first fully functioning GIS system donated by SynerCon.”
Mock acknowledged the dedication, commitment, and passion of the program’s faculty—who laboured to develop its curriculum and reinforce the belief that “a geography program could meet the then-Ryerson's official mandate, which was to satisfy societal need.”
Professor and Vice-President Academic Emeritus Dennis Mock. Photo by Sam Dano.
Provost and Vice-President, Academic Roberta Iannacito-Provenzano reaffirmed that the discipline of geography remains vital in addressing “the most urgent challenges of our time” and continues to be “part of TMU’s mission…and our new academic plan.”
“With the recent addition of a co-op program and curricular revisions,” Provost Iannacito-Provenzano remarked, “the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies is demonstrating a forward-thinking commitment to equipping our students with the tools and experiences they need to thrive in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.”
“Together, you have built a legacy of academic and professional excellence that continues to elevate the fields of geography and environmental studies. Your collective contributions have enriched our university, our city and beyond.” — Provost and Vice-President, Academic Roberta Iannacito-Provenzano
Among the notable speakers in attendance was alumnus Ian Williams, who recalled his time in the program and shared milestones in his career development. Williams is the current Director of Information Management with the Toronto Police Service and was a former Dennis Mock Student Leadership Award recipient. He was instrumental in developing the Crime Analytics Certificate at the Chang School of Continuing Education and continues to have a strong connection with the department and TMU.
Business woman and longstanding donor Jan Kestle is the President of Environics Analytics and recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Canadian Marketing Association and the GNS Leadership Award from Spatial Ontario. Kestle strongly encouraged the next generation of students to pursue geographic studies and reminded attendees of its continued importance in society.
“For all of you who are graduating or moving through the system, stick with geography, do your spatial analytics, take data science, take business intelligence, as well as, of course, all the important things in terms of the environment. We can really make Canada stronger and people's lives better by understanding the role that geography makes in order to integrate and help people understand things.” — President of Environics Analytics, Jan Kestle
Donor Jan Kestle with Environics Analytics student award recipients 2024
Following the remarks, the event continued with presenting the 2024 student awards. The winners of the 2024 Department of Geography and Environmental Studies are:
Ahmad El Masri El Chayah; Nurfatima Rassol; Pepa Prochazka; Elijah Major; Rukiya Mohamed; Nooh Kamaluddin; Rab Blay; Anny Huang; Tyra Krapp; Aria Brown; Ammar Sidhu; Khadija Safi; Ryan Szulc; Ciera Cleary; Aliya Myers; and Biancka Pragash.
Retiring faculty professors Shuguang Wang, Jeanne Maurer, and Michal Bardecki received gifts for their contributions to the discipline and dedication to enhancing the program.
The Geographic Analysis 50th Anniversary and Awards Reception celebrated the program's rich legacy—reinforcing its enduring commitment to shaping the future of geography, spatial analysis, and environmental sustainability, ensuring that the next generation of students continues to lead with knowledge, innovation and impact.
