Audrey Kobayashi
Dr. Kobayashi is known from all of us as an outstanding geographer who has contributed to all aspects of the profession. Dr. Kokayashi's services to the profession are simply extraordinary. Twenty years after the completion of her PhD, she has undertaken every possible type of service. The breadth and number of her service contributions attest to her commitment to advance the profession of geography in every possible forum. She has represented the concerns and interests of geographers to other disciplines, serving in various capacities within the Canadian Asian Studies Association, the Canadian Ethnic Studies Association, the Humanities and Social Sciences Federation of Canada and the Canada-US Fulbright Program. Her participation in the Association of American Geographers and the International Geographical Union has enhanced the reputation of Canadian geography.
The extent and intensity of her commitment to geography are even more evident in her participation into our own association. Beginning as Coordinator of the Canadian Women and Geography Specialty Group (CWAG) in 1984, she has served as an elected member of the Executive Council, Chairperson of the Joint Canadian Association of Geographers and Association of American Geographers Liaison Committee, a member of the Committee for CAG 2001, a member of the Equity Committee, Chair of the Awards and Nominating Committees, Vice-President, President and Past President. She has been instrumental in continuing efforts to promote equity within Canadian geography since her initial participation in CWAG. As President of the Canadian Association of Geographers, she has proposed, promoted and edited special issues of The Canadian Geographer for the 50th anniversary of the association. The issue highlighted the Canadian contributions to geography and presented geographical viewpoints on Canadian issues.
If these achievements were not enough, Dr. Kobayashi's scholarship is among the very best in Canadian geography and is well known internationally. She is currently holding a highly competitive Erskine Fellowship to the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. She has been invited to give lectures around the world. She also has an outstanding publication record and has made many pioneering and original contributions as for example her more recent work on geographical aspects of race and racialization. This work is being linked into policy aspects as well.
Dr. Kobayashi is also an innovative and successful teacher. She has trained numerous graduate and undergraduate students. She has been the recipient of the W.J. Barnes Award for Teaching given by the undergraduate students at Queen's University in recognition of her innovative teaching on contemporary issues in social inequality.
Dr. Kobayashi is the complete geographer. Her outstanding contributions to our discipline span the full range of activities that professors do. The Canadian Association of Geographers is proud to honour Audrey Kobayashi today.
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