It gives me great pleasure to announce that the 2019/20 winner of the John R. and Fawn T. Dunkle Geography Award is Sara Shir. The Dunkle award honors the long-time service and devotion of Professor John R. Dunkle to the Department of Geography at the University of Florida. We give this award of $1000 annually to an undergraduate Geography major who shows sustained academic excellence, involvement in departmental and university activities, leadership and/or strong promise for graduate study.
Sara is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in our Medical Geography in Global Health program, and is graduating in Spring 2020. She is researching with Dr. Greg Glass on landcover composition and tick presence in Florida, and won the first place award for undergraduate presentation in the Florida Society of Geographer in 2020. She has been in leadership roles at several organizations in Gainesville and UF communities, such as the Cooperative Living Organization, Sophomore leadership seminar, and UF NaviGators International. After she graduates she plans to apply for graduate study in medical school with a specialization in neglected tropical diseases. Please welcome me in congratulating Sara!
–Dr. Jane Southworth, Department Chair and Professor