Student research team 2024-26

Gina is a graduate student at Simon Fraser University completing her Master of Urban Studies with research interests in social housing and cultural planning.

What is one word, in any language, that inspires you? A Spanish word that inspires me is “hogar”. The direct translation into English is home, household, or hearth, however in Spanish it means more than this. Hogar is derived from the Latin word for fire. Hogar relates to a sense of warmth, belonging, and refuge. It is where loved ones gather and where memories are made. Hogar is modest and humble. It is both modern and ancient. It is shelter, comfort, and connection.

In spring 2024, Veera will graduate with a bachelor's degree in sustainable urban development from Tampere University. Veera had an opportunity to spend one semester at Sciences Po Lille, and focused on social sciences.

What is one word, in any language, that inspires you? One word that inspires me in everyday life is "tasapainoilu". It is Finnish and means balance, or more precisely, maintaining the balance while doing something that disturbs it. Tasapainoilu is a way to experience the surroundings, your body, and relations with other people, and it can be a useful metaphor in sustainability transitions as well.

YINGXUAN is a junior undergraduate student from South China Agricultural University, China. YINGXUAN majors in English and works as a student assistant in the SAGA team this summer. Yingxuan was born in 2004 and can speak Chinese and Cantonese and some Japanese and Korean. “I am so honored to work with all of you.”

What is one word, in any language, that inspires you? The Chinese word 见夏 (jian xia) means embracing the upcoming summer, the original meaning of 见 means see a particular thing, 夏 means summer, but when combining it turns into living for the hope of the great coming and great summer. Summer in China, especially in my region, lasts for several months to create life-long memory. Important activities like graduation. 见夏 contains all my expectation for the coming summer! 

Estefania is an undergraduate student from Colombia, with a major in sociology. She is excited to work as a student assistant in the SAGA team. Estefania has worked in wetlands projects in Colombia, Indigenous resistance projects in the Ajusco territory in Mexico and has experience in Participatory Action Research (PAR). Estefania has travelled in Mexico, Korea and now Canada, and is so excited to get to know new spaces, nature and people. “I hope to contribute to the transformation of sustainability and language and contemplate the spaces and experiences that I have the opportunity to live here.” 

What is one word, in any language, that inspires you? Contemplar (contemplate) is the word that inspires me. I believe that contemplar is something that is no longer done frequently, we live in a fast, tired society, where immediacy has stolen the moments that really matter in life. So for me contemplating is a form of revolution and peace in the middle of the chaos of all the crises that societies are going through. Also, I believe that contemplation is what has marked those personal moments that have made me who I am today.

Théo is a student at ISIT Paris in Intercultural Communications and Translations.

What is one word, in any language, that inspires you? Ambition. Because with ambition, you can do anything!

Chloé is a graduate student in the Master of Resource Management program, in the planning stream at SFU’s School of Resources and Environmental Management. Her research interests are centred in how to optimize systemic approaches to climate change solutions, and, in particular, how to increase urban resilience to climate impacts via low-carbon pathways.

What is one word, in any language, that inspires you? I love the word serendipity (sérendipité in French): the occurrence of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. It encourages an openness to unexpected joys and discoveries. I find the more that I think about serendipity, the more it seems to happen in my life. It reminds me that everything in this world is connected, and to look closer and put myself out there more to notice it.

Ketlie is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Development Economics (Sustainable Development track) at the University of Clermont Auvergne School of Economics – CERDI.

What is one word, in any language, that inspires you? The word that inspires me is "Tèt ansanm," a Haitian Creole expression meaning solidarity, cooperation, or collective union. It's a popular expression that evokes the importance of teamwork, dialogue, and mutual assistance in overcoming challenges. Promoting "Tèt ansanm" means recognizing that progress requires local cooperation and the inclusion of all voices, while maintaining a sense of cultural respect and sustainability.

Lotta recently graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Sustainable Urban Development from Tampere University, and will be starting her Master's studies in Geography at the University of Helsinki in the fall of 2025.

What is one word, in any language, that inspires you? One word that inspires me is the Finnish "jaksaa" (or jaksaminen). In English, jaksaa can be translated as having the strength to do something, or more precisely, having the strength to keep on doing/going. Although a relatively unremarkable, commonly used word, I find it to be inspiring because it highlights the importance of continuing on, and the strength that we all have when we keep on pushing through things that may be difficult.

Ursula is a Danish graduate student in Urban and Regional Planning at Roskilde University. She has a particular interest in the materiality and design of cities and urban spaces as places to be, to live, and to dwell. Additionally, she has worked with the concept of power in language—how meaning is shaped and how phenomena appear and are understood.

What is one word, in any language, that inspires you? One word that inspires me is efemerisk (in English, ephemeral). I first encountered it in Le Petit Prince, where the Little Prince actually meets a geographer! The word means something like “transient” or “fleeting”, and the Prince immediately thinks of his rose, which he left behind on his own planet. I find the word both haunting and beautiful in its meaning. It evokes a melancholic dynamic in the recognition that one will likely lose something, but also that the sorrow arises precisely because one once had it.

Jacob is a graduate student in the planning stream of SFU’s School of Resource & Environmental Management. His research focuses on non-governmental neighbourhood organizations and equitable community engagement.

What is one word, in any language, that inspires you? I’m a big fan (and a chronic over-user) of the English word “spectacular”. In addition to describing how beautiful something is, it implies a dramatic flair that so often accompanies that beauty. Sometimes life is better than just “pretty” or “good” - it’s an unfathomable, over-the-top spectacle, and I’ve never found a better way to capture my gratitude for life’s craziness than “spectacular”.

Muna is a graduate student in the Urban Studies department at Simon Fraser University. He is in the second semester of the Graduate Diploma in Urban Studies with hopes of transferring to the Masters’ program. Muna is interested in housing and social sustainability. 

What is one word, in any language, that inspires you? The word “ivhu” in Shona, one of the official Bantu languages in Zimbabwe, means soil or earth. We use the phrase “Vana vevhu” which means “children of the soil” to describe ourselves and our connection to the land. This is inspiring because it speaks to an unbreakable connection to the land, my family and the values they hold.