“This prize caps off an experience that was truly rewarding both on a personal and academic level. I worked on my thesis while navigating life as a mom. It was an intense period that ended on a positive note. I learned first-hand that it is possible to juggle motherhood and higher education. This award has also rekindled my passion for research.”
Marie-Hélène Roch
M.Sc. Urban Studies, 2019
Centre Eau Terre Environnement | Supervisors: Christian Poirier and Marie-Soleil Cloutier
Marie-Hélène looked at northern urban environments using the lived, perceived, and imagined experiences of Montreal winter cyclists. She took a creative approach to get to know members of this group that is relatively unknown (but often stereotyped in the media) to document their experiences and better grasp the importance of urban development and quality of life in wintry cities.
Building on her research into these issues, she works with Park People, an organization studying urban park usage during the current pandemic. She’s considering a book or show featuring the photos she took during her master’s work and is thinking about combining research, invention, and action in a future PhD project.