Graduate student awarded George W. Vari Friendship award for work within the AAPI community

Master of chemical engineering student, Kane Ho, is a leader within his Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. As the director of his local badminton club, made up of over 200 members, Kane and his team have been committed to creating a diverse community of athletes with different backgrounds and ages.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when the #StopAsianHate movement rose, Kane helped to run a non-profit event that brought light to the discrimination against the AAPI community, while also celebrating diversity.

“I realized that I needed to set an example and call out injustices that affect the AAPI and other marginalized groups,” said Ho. “It is increasingly more important to address racial injustices that occur in our communities and it is no longer enough to be a bystander when these events occur. Setting an example and helping those in need allows me to build the community that I want to see and the leadership qualities come naturally with this.”

By raising awareness of issues faced by marginalized communities, we are excited to share that Kane was awarded the Honourable George W. Vari Friendship award in the Civic Leadership category.

“This award motivates me to continue my work and be mindful of the civic responsibilities that I have to my community and the university,” said Ho. “At the start of the pandemic, there was a lot of uncertainty with the world and my research. Looking back, I’m incredibly proud of how I was able to bounce back, keep focused and stay on track with my research during that time and I am very grateful to the George Vari Foundation and FEAS for providing the support.”

As a FEAS graduate student, Kane describes being drawn to the chemical engineering program thanks to the faculty and, in particular, his advisor, Dr. Hadis Zarrin. “Both have helped me to develop my research experience and grow as a researcher and leader. The chemical engineering department and FEAS offer a multitude of tools and skills to help their graduate students as well as different opportunities to help prepare them for the future,” he said.

Looking ahead to the future, Kane is looking forward to developing his career as a researcher to address pressing global issues, such as climate change, while continuing to be a leader within his communities.

“There is never an end to my role in the community and I welcome the challenges that may present themselves. I hope I can continue to serve my community in societal and environmental events by participating in organizations and offering my time to collaborate with other individuals and groups that share the same mindset as I do.”