Past Award Winners | Future Cities Institute founded by Caivan

Students that have graduated celebrating

Innovators in Action: Our Grant and Scholarship Community

The Future Cities Institute is proud to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our grant and scholarship recipients. These talented individuals embody innovation, resilience, and a commitment to shaping a healthier, more prosperous future for our cities and communities.

Our scholarships don’t just support education, they spark transformation, providing the resources and opportunities for scholars to drive real change. From groundbreaking research to community-focused projects, their contributions span industries and borders, creating lasting impact.

This list of scholar recipients is growing year by year, representing a vibrant and diverse network of changemakers who are reimagining what's possible. Explore their stories and be inspired by the collective power of education, collaboration, and vision.

James Kusi Asafo-Agyei

James Kusi Asafo-Agyei is working on improving urban health outcomes through innovative planning. Awarded the CAIVAN Future Cities Graduate Scholarship, James’s project focuses on addressing the challenges of high-rise living, which has been linked to negative health effects, particularly among youth. By amplifying youth voices, James aims to create healthier, more inclusive communities.

A major milestone in James’s work was the successful recruitment of youth participants aged 14-19, highlighting the readiness of young people to shape their neighborhoods. The scholarship has been instrumental in advancing James’s academic journey, inspiring James to pursue a futures thinking course and further aligning the research with the vision of sustainable and prosperous future cities.

Jason Skidmore

Jason Skidmore is advancing sustainable mobility through graduate-level research focused on developing a tool to assess active transportation access to commuter rail stations. Jason’s work aims to improve accessibility and integration of active transportation within commuter rail systems.

Jason presented at the Transportation Research Board 2024 Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., and to Metrolinx’s station planning team, contributing to real-world transportation planning efforts. The CAIVAN Future Cities Graduate Scholarship has been instrumental in supporting Jason’s academic journey, enabling conference participation to share findings and foster professional growth in sustainable urban mobility.

Johanna L. Botari

Johanna L. Botari is exploring the intersection of data science, management, and governance to support urban futures. Through the Master of Future Cities program, Johanna has focused on long-term strategies for data governance in smart cities, as showcased in a FCIT602 final paper. Additionally, Johanna has collaborated on projects addressing sustainable residential housing in heat-challenged cities.

Having completed the first semester of the program with distinction, Johanna is transitioning to dedicate more attention to the program after a career in healthcare technology. The CAIVAN Future Cities Graduate Scholarship has been a big support during this time, covering second-semester tuition and enabling Johanna to focus on studies during this career transition, preparing Johanna to shape resilient and innovative urban futures.

Karen Chen

Karen Chen is tackling one of Canada’s most pressing challenges: improving flood risk modelling to better protect communities. Karen’s research focuses on incorporating data about local flood defences at the property and community level into insurance models, ensuring that government investments in mitigation translate to more accurate risk assessments and lower premiums.

As a student delegate, Karen presented at the CatIQ Conference 2025 in Toronto, sharing insights on how enhanced data integration can transform flood risk management and policy. The CAIVAN Future Cities Graduate Scholarship has been key to supporting Karen's research, enabling Karen to focus on how preventative measures can shape the future design and resilience of cities.

Madeline Mitchell

Madeline Mitchell is advancing food sovereignty and sustainability through research on hydroponic vegetable production in Northern and Indigenous communities across Canada. The work explores how hydroponic farming can address food security challenges and identifies barriers to its adoption in these regions. In Spring 2024, Madeline provided actionable recommendations to the communities and companies involved, fostering practical solutions to improve food access.

The CAIVAN Future Cities Graduate Scholarship has been a transformative milestone for Madeline, offering financial support and enabling Madeline to focus on studies and research. It also provided opportunities for internships and projects that have shaped Madeline’s career aspirations. This recognition has deepened Madeline’s commitment to creating impactful change, inspiring action in advancing sustainable urban futures.

Mahyar Masoudi

Mahyar Masoudi is conducting critical research on the role of urban forests in mitigating urban heat island effects and reducing heat-related health impacts in 12 municipalities across Southern Ontario. Using an environmental justice lens, Mahyar’s work highlights the importance of equitable tree canopy cover in addressing public health disparities.

The CAIVAN Communities Postdoctoral Research Fellowship has been a transformative milestone in Mahyar’s academic and professional journey, enabling Mahyar to advance this impactful research and transition into a faculty position. This fellowship provided invaluable opportunities to build expertise and contribute to the future of sustainable and equitable urban development.

Ricardo Dabydeen

Ricardo Dabydeen completed two CAIVAN Global Citizen Internships with Indigenous Clean Energy (ICE) as a Partnerships Intern. Ricardo’s work involved researching grant opportunities, writing proposals, and preparing financial and narrative reports, which helped secure $2.715 million in funding to support ICE’s 10 major programs. Additionally, Ricardo played a key role in completing a bi-annual narrative report for an $11.2 million grant proposal, contributing significantly to its success.

This internship experience has been important for Ricardo, providing invaluable professional skills and reinforcing a dedication to advancing clean energy and sustainable development. As Ricardo reflects on this journey, the opportunity has been instrumental in shaping both academic and career aspirations, inspiring Ricardo to drive meaningful change in global energy and sustainability initiatives.

Saluhu Mohammed

Saluhu Mohammed is conducting vital research to understand the housing experiences of international graduate students in Kitchener-Waterloo, and exploring the housing landscape shaped by policy instability at multiple government levels. By examining these experiences, Saluhu aims to contribute nuanced insights that can inform future housing policies to better address the challenges faced by this community.

The CAIVAN Future Cities Graduate Scholarship has significantly impacted Saluhu’s academic journey, alleviating financial pressures and enabling Saluhu to focus on studies and research. This support has also allowed Saluhu to explore additional learning opportunities and engage in activities that enhance academic and professional development.

Sophia Armstrong

Sophia Armstrong was awarded the CAIVAN Future Cities Undergraduate Scholarship during enrollment in ENVS 210, a course that introduced Sophia to the transformative field of future cities. Inspired by this recognition, Sophia has since pursued advanced courses in the field, including ENVS 310 and ENVS 410, and is on track to earn the Diploma in Future Cities upon graduation.

This scholarship has been a pivotal moment in Sophia’s academic journey, fostering a deep interest in futures thinking and strategic foresight. These skills will be invaluable as Sophia embarks on a career dedicated to shaping sustainable and resilient urban environments.

Farah El-Shayeb

Farah El-Shayeb is working on advancing climate adaptation and resilience through geography and research. Awarded the CAIVAN Future Cities Undergraduate Scholarship, Farah’s work focuses on Managed Retreat (MR) as a strategy for reducing flood risks while fostering community well-being and climate justice. By developing decision-making tools and capacity-building resources, she aims to support sustainable adaptation efforts, particularly in island communities.

A major milestone in Farah’s work is her involvement in the Retreating from Risk (RFR) project, a $2.45 million initiative funded by the New Frontiers Research Fund International. Her upcoming collaboration with Gadjah Mada University in Indonesia will strengthen global partnerships and contribute to local resilience efforts. The scholarship has been instrumental in shaping Farah’s academic path, inspiring her to integrate her research into her master’s thesis and further align her work with the vision of sustainable and prosperous future cities.