ROP in the News
The 2007-2008 Annual HMALC Review showcased Geography Professor Kathi Wilson, GIS/Data Librarian Andrew Nicholson and ROP student Vinshon Tran for work on their ROP project "Mapping a Better Tomorrow: Geographies of Poverty and Prosperity in Mississauga".
Source: Making Connections Annual Review 2007-2008, University of Toronto Mississauga Library, Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Center Pg. 9.
The 2007-2008
Research & Innovation Annual Report features some of our leading faculty and their student's work with the Research Opportunity
Program.
Source:
Research & Innovation Annual Report 2007-2008 University of Toronto Mississauga.
Student Stories
Follow the Clues BY: TRACY MONIZ
Student-detective unravels ancient tale
AlZahir Tharani uncovers clues through the Research Opportunity Program. (Photo: Melissa Heide)
"It's about following clues and problem solving," says AlZahir Tharani about his efforts to help bring to life the diaries of Pir Sabzali, a traveller through India, China, Tajikistan and Afghanistan during "The Great Game" - a rivalry among the British, Chinese and Soviet empires for territory in Central Asia from the early 19th to the early 20th centuries.
As part of the Research Opportunity Program, Tharani collaborated with historical studies professor Shafique Virani and other students on an audio book and general-interest radio drama to complement the book Virani is writing based on the diaries. Using the traveller's descriptions, Tharani researched the locations of little-known villages using old military maps, other travellers' accounts and library and other information sources. To ensure authentic illustrations for the print book, he also investigated native dress and landscape.
Once complete, Virani says these materials will offer an innovative way for the public and, in particular, students to learn about Muslim culture and different parts of the world during that time.
The Spring 2009 issue of the U of T Mississauga Magazine features ROP Student AIZahir Tharani's work on Professor Shafique Virani's summer 2009 project RLG399Y L0103 "Radio Drama/Audio Book/Book Illustration".
Source:
U of T Mississauga Magazine Spring 2009.
Be sure to also check out the Spring 2009 U of T Mississauga Magazine's article on "Ask the Questions. Search for the Answers" as 3 of our leading ROP faculty talk about their research.
On the Map
Marine Mysteries
BY: NADEEM BASARIA
Voyage examines climate change
Afshan Omar voyaged to the Aleutian Islands. (Photo courtesy Professor Jochen Halfar)
Environmental science major Afshan Omar set sail last summer around the Aleutian Islands of Alaska aboard the research vessel Norseman. Accompanied by chemical and physical sciences professor Joachen Halfar and a team of scientists from around the world, she says it was the opportunity of a lifetime.
What began as a Research Opportunity Program became her undergraduate thesis, where Omar assisted Halfar in his work using coralline red algae to reconstruct past climates and determine how climate change affects marine ecology. Specifically, Omar looked at how the growth rate of the algae, which can reveal ancient sea temperatures, was affected by climate. Now back at U of T Mississauga, she's using a seawater laboratory to determine how light and temperature affect algae growth under controlled conditions to gain a better understanding of the ecosystem.
The Fall 2009 issue of the U of T Mississauga Magazine features ROP student Afshan Omar's work on Professor Jochen Halfar's Summer 2008 project ERS399Y L0101 "Sedimentology of Coralline Red Algal Derived Carbonate Sediments from the Aleutian Island Chain, Alaska".
Source:U of T Mississauga Magazine Fall 2009.
A WEEK IN THE PARK - 2012
Professor Yuhong He from the Department of Geography at U of T Mississauga has a great appreciation for the fruitful outcomes of the Research Opportunity Program (ROP), which, in her opinion, benefit faculty as well as the students.
For the past two summers, He and her PhD student Amy Mui took two ROP students, Alexander Tong and Nadine Nesbitt, to Gatineau Park, Quebec, where they employed remote-sensing technology to map the distribution of endangered vegetative species called Wild Leek and White Trillium. He and the students spent a full week at the site collecting field data. Back at UTM, they processed the field data, and linked the field data to satellite imagery using remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) techniques. The endangered species were then accurately mapped throughout the whole park.
“This is the beauty of remote-sensing science,” says He. “While the endangered species may be directly observed in the field, remote sensing with its synoptic overview allows independent, fast, up-to-date, and cost-effective mapping of the species for a relatively large geographical area.”
With funding from the Park and internal U of T sources to enable this excursion, He, Mui, Tong and Nesbitt braved the cold wind and mosquitoes while trekking through the site, carrying a few pieces of equipment for at least ten hours per day during the week at Gatineau Park. When they arrived back at their hotel, they spent another few hours analyzing the data they collected.
“The field and lab work was quite intensive for the two ROP students, but I think they learned the basic process for conducting remote-sensing research, and found the work associated with research is so different from taking courses,” says He. “For research you have to take initiative, work independently and think independently. This ROP program provided me with a great opportunity to identify and attract the best possible research students to my group. Tong and Nesbitt are genuinely interested in academia and environmental remote-sensing research after being in the ROP program, and they will start their new research journey in the coming September as Master’s students in the Geography Department at the University of Toronto”
He will continue to hire more ROP students each year so they can “see what research looks like in an application oriented project.” He personally enjoys the ROP program because it “combines teaching and research together.”
Gatineau Park has asked He to complete two projects in a row that involves mapping endangered species in the park using remote sensing technology. “I see this an indication that they love our work!” says He.
Source: http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/research-profile-research-news-general/week-park