The Abrahams/Woldenberg Field Scholarship is intended to support field research in Physical Geography / Environmental Science by graduate students in the Department of Geography, University at Buffalo. Awards made from this fund will be guided by Professors Abrahams’ and Woldenberg’s desire to support and encourage this field-based research.

Submit a two-page outline of the project.

• On page 1 please summarize: (1) the context, (2) the aim, and (3) the significance of the project.

• On page 2 please provide a brief summary, explanation, and/or justification of the budget.

Please submit the documents by email in digital form (.doc or .pdf format) to geog@buffalo.edu when we announce that we are accepting applications. This will generally be in March or April of each year.

Award Eligibility: The "Abrahams/Woldenberg Field Scholarship" will be given annually to a current graduate student from the University at Buffalo's Department of Geography.

Award Recognition: The recipient will have their name and the year engraved on a perpetual plaque that is located in the Department of Geography main office. In addition, the recipient will receive a monetary award in the amount of $750. The winner will be presented the award at the Department of Geography's Graduation reception each year in May.

2008 - Suzanne Roussie

2009 - Bhaskar Metra

2010 - Jorge V. Bajo

2011 - Michael Habberfield

2012 - Zhihao Wang

2013 - David Spiering

2014 - Jonathan Pleban

2016 - Misa Yaumiishi

2017 - Xiaonan Tai

2018 - Chenyang Wei

2019 - Dameng Yin

2020 - Sara Peterson

2021 - Alexandra Gould

2022 - Ying Lu, Jonathan Townsend

2023 - Festus Adegbola

2024 - Festus Adegbola

2025 - Faithwin Gbadamosi

2026 - Jing Miao

Would you like to contribute to this award? If so, you may donate online.

Hugh West Calkins, served on the faculty in the Department of Geography at the University at Buffalo from 1975 until his retirement in 2002, and was department chair from 1999-2002. Hugh passed away peacefully in Colorado on Saturday June 18 2005 after a battle with cancer. He was 66 years old.

The University at Buffalo has established the "Hugh W. Calkins Applied GIS Award" to be given annually to a graduate student from the Department of Geography at the University at Buffalo who demonstrates the principles that Hugh developed and taught for many years regarding the successful application of GIS to real world issues.

Hugh's professional forte was service - to the department, to the University, to the community, to the State, and to the Nation. Hugh served on numerous national, state, and local advisory committees and boards, playing a leading role in the development of information exchange standards for the emerging field of geographic information systems. Hugh led the development of guidebooks and standards for GIS adoption by local government within the state that have been used around the world. He also was co-leader of two NCGIA research initiatives. But Hugh Calkins' greatest professional legacy is found in his students, who now play key roles in industry, government, and academia throughout the nation and the world. At a session in Hugh's honor at the annual meeting of the Association of American Geographers in Denver in April 2005, ESRI President Jack Dangermond stated that Hugh Calkins defined what it meant to be a GIS professional. What a true and perceptive statement. Hugh Calkins is survived by his wife Judy, his daughter Victoria DeMaret, his son John, his grandchildren, and a legion of his former students and colleagues.

An award to honor Dr. Calkins career in the field of Urban Planning and Geography has been established. The award will be given annually to a graduate student from the University at Buffalo's Geography department, who best applies the principles he developed and taught for many years. The Hugh W. Calkins Applied GIS Award will be given annually to a current graduate student from the University at Buffalo's Department of Geography in order to advance his/her studies in the following year.

• Complete the Hugh W. Calkins Applied GIS Award nomination form.
• Attach a 1-2 page nomination statement (.doc format) describing how their graduate research or project has applied one or more of the principles developed and taught by Prof. Calkins in a new and/or practical manner. These principles include: sharing of geographic information, use of geographic information and information technology standards, effective design and management of geographic information, conducting requirements analysis, coordination of local government information in the US, developing world to overcome economic, social, and environmental challenges, etc.
• Optional map documents (up to 2 additional pages) to illustrate the points made in the nomination are accepted - however, they are not a requirement.

Please submit the documents by email in digital form (.doc or .pdf format) to geog@buffalo.edu when we announce that we are accepting applications. This will generally be in March or April of each year.

Award Eligibility: The "Hugh W. Calkins Applied GIS Award" will be given annually to a current graduate student from the University at Buffalo's Department of Geography in order to advance his/her studies in the following year. The award recipient will be required to submit a summary document - no more than 1 page - regarding how the monetary award was spent (conference, books, research, equipment, software, etc.)

Award Recognition: The recipient will have their name and the year engraved on a perpetual plaque that is located in the Department of Geography main office. In addition, the recipient will receive a monetary award in the amount of $1,000. The winner will be presented the award at the Department of Geography's Graduation reception each year in May.

2006 - Bo Ae Chun

2007 - Seth Spielman

2008 - Daejong Kim

2009 - Amy Frazier & Liang Mao

2010 - Joseph Holler

2011 - Stephen Tulowiecki

2012 - Deborah Naybor

2013 - Tonya Lewis

2014 - Peng Gao

2015 - Michael  Rienti, Jr.

2017 - Jesse Rubenstein

2018 - Sara Peterson

2019 - Yue Luo

2020 - Sara Peterson

2021 - Shiran Zhong

2022 - Yifan Wang

2023 - Qingqing Chen, Zhenqi Zhou

2024 - Zhenqi Zhou

2025- Zhenqi Zhou

2026 - Mahsa Saharkhiz

Would you like to contribute to this award? If so, you may donate online or forward your donation to: Dept. of Geography, 105 Wilkeson Quad, Buffalo, NY 14261. Please make checks payable to UB Foundation.

Dr. Ebert, born in Hamburg, Germany came to UB in 1954 as a member of the Geology Department. A few years later, at the request of President Furnas, he founded the Geography Department. As the departments' first Chair (1963 to 1970) he built up the Department and selected the first faculty members. He was the Undergraduate Dean from 1970 to 1977.

Dr. Ebert contributed to the larger Buffalo community, frequently lecturing to local organizations. He also acted as a consultant for local environmental problems. He used false color aerial photography of vegetation to demonstrate the impact of the seepage of pollutants in the Love Canal disaster. 

Dr. Ebert is perhaps remembered best for his teaching. Hundreds of students enrolled in his courses every year. He won the University at Buffalo Chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence in 1975 and 1976; UB's Mr. Faculty Award in 1965 and 1968; and the Distinguished Teaching Award for Excellence in Geography Teaching from the National Council for Geographic Education in 1990.

Award Eligibility:  University at Buffalo Undergraduate or Graduate students pursuing degrees in Physical Geography (Earth Systems Science).

Award Recognition:  The recipient will have their name and the year engraved on a perpetual plaque that is located in the Department of Geography main office.  The winner will be presended the award at the Department of Geography's Graduation reception each year in May. If you would like to donate to this award fund, please click here.

2013 - Ryan Greer

2014 - Sylvia Choi

2015 - Adam R. Wattles

2016 - Matthew Snickles, Michael Gallisdorfer, Michael Habberfield, Jonathan Pleban, Xiaonan Tai & David Spiering

2017 - Wenjie Ji, Chenyang Wei

2018 -  Misa Yasumiishi

2020 - Greg Bream, Jonathan Townsend

2021 - Jonathan Townsend

2022 - Adam Grodek, Han Zhang

2023 - Morgan Bowerman, Ethan Garcia

2024 - Adam Grodek, Jianqiao Liu

2025 - Festus Adegbola, Sarah Pickering 

2026 - William Howlett, Arden Ireland 

Dr. L. Michael Trapasso, from Niagara Falls, NY, graduated from the University at Buffalo Department of Geography as a member of the Class of 1975.  He went on to get his Masters and PhD from the Departments of Geography and Geology at Indiana University and Indiana State University respectively before becoming faculty in the Department of Geography and Geology at Western Kentucky University.  He taught there for nearly 35 years, and served as Director of both the Meteorological Technology Program and the College Heights Weather Station before becoming Curator of the College Heights Weather Instrument Museum.  In keeping with geography’s study of the world, Dr. Trapasso has visited all seven continents and is an award-winning photographer.

Dr. Trapasso co-authored the textbook Physical Geography in addition to contributing numerous articles and presentations in his career, with a particular emphasis on biometeorology.  The interdisciplinary field of biometeorology studies the interactions between atmospheric phenomena and living systems, and Dr. Trapasso’s contributions to it are prime examples of the value of physical geography in modern society.

Award Eligibility:  The Dr. L. Michael Trapasso award will be given annually to a current graduate student from the University at Buffalo’s Department of Geography in order to advance his/her research involving the use of meteorological or climatological data in the following year. To be considered for the award, eligible applicants will provide a one-page proposal that outlines how and why they will use meteorological or climatological data in their MA, MS or PhD thesis.

Award Recognition:  The recipient will have their name and the year engraved on a perpetual plaque located in the Department of Geography main office.  In addition, the recipient will receive a monetary award.  The winner will be presented with the award at the Department of Geography's Graduation reception each year in May.

2020 - Xiangyu Jiang

2021 - Eum Youngseob

2022 - Chenyang Wei

2023 - Collin O'Connor

2024 - Zhenqi Zhou

2025 - Jiyeon Kim

2026 - Jing Miao

The Greg and Susan Aldrich Research Award was established to provide funding to students to overcome barriers that obstruct their ability to perform meaningful research and/or creative activities during their enrollment at UB. Award applications will be reviewed by a team of UB Geography faculty annually.  Applicants should show a need for award support to complete projects, pay for supplies, attend conferences, and/or other intrinsic needs that must be overcome to complete a research project. 

Application Guidelines

1. Introduction: This fund supports research. Applications are accepted each year in April. The funds must be spent within one year after the award is received. During this period, the student must be enrolled at UB in the Department of Geography. 

2. Eligibility: Sophomores, juniors and Master’s students conducting research under the guidance of a faculty member in the Department of Geography are eligible to apply. 

Award Recognition: The recipient will have their name and the year engraved on a perpetual plaque that is located in the Department of Geography main office. The winner will be presented the award at the Department of Geography's Graduation reception each year in May.

2011 - Anthony Hilbert

2012 - Viktor Mashalov

2013 - Iris Savoy-Burke

2014 - Amy Hinchcliffe

2015 - Mario Ayoub

2018 - Nadine Kennedy 

2024 - Galo Maradiaga Eguez

2025 - Mia Maines

2026 - Sarah Pickering

Would you like to contribute to this award? If so, you may donate online.

For full details/application: