Jonathan Sime Award 2017

Master's student Nada Shehab wins special commendation for her Honours dissertation

In memory of Jonathan Sime, this award recognises a significant contribution to the field of people-environment research in an undergraduate dissertation.

This prestigious annual award is open to all undergraduates attending a British University.

The Award Panel seeks applications which clearly exhibit originality of thought, quality of research and reflects Jonathan’s interests in people-environment relationships.

Nada Shehab, Department of Architecture, University of Strathclyde, has won the second prize (the special commendation) for this award for her dissertation on Migration: The Socio-Spatial Practices of Migrant Communities in Urban Environments

Environmental psychology or people-environment studies explore the transactions between people – both individuals and groups – and their physical setting; it gives a prominent place to environmental perceptions, attitudes, evaluations and representations and accompanying behaviour. Environmental psychology focuses on both the effects of environmental conditions on behaviour and how the individual perceives and acts on the environment.  

Selecting three countries, Scotland, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates,  as case studies to demonstrate highly diverse mobility patterns and compare urban responses to the different magnitudes of influx of migrants, Nada’s dissertation offers a perceptive understanding of the socio-spatial practices of migrant communities and assesses the impact of displaced populations on the urban areas they occupy and vice versa. Raising attention to spatial injustice, Nada’s work investigates the role of urban practitioners in developing responsive solutions to the challenges of spatial segregation and its impact on infrastructure and local communities.

The panel found that her work was very interesting and provided some novel insight into migrant communities. The work was well written and beautifully presented with clear illustrations and figures.  The panel were very pleased with the commendably high standard of all the short-listed dissertations.  Dr. Kayleigh Wyles. On behalf of The Jonathan Sime Award Panel

Read the 500 word Abstracts of the 2017 winners on the Jonathan Sime Award web site.

Aligning with the University of Strathclyde’s strategic themes, the Department of Architecture has recently enhanced its offerings across its programmes to articulate the role of architecture in meeting social, environmental, technological, and urban development challenges. Our provision, mentorship, and areas of emphasis within the Undergraduate Dissertation encourage future professionals to research real-life issues that contribute to place making, city management, and the development of insights into the reciprocal relationship between people and their environments.