Economics student Deven Azevedo wins 2018 Dean’s Convocation Medal

The Department of Economics and the Dean’s office of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are proud to announce that graduating economics student, Deven Azevedo, is one of two recipients of the 2018 Dean’s Convocation Medal.

The award, given by the Senate Undergraduate Awards Adjudication Committee, recognizes students who have demonstrated a combination of outstanding academic achievement and exceptional qualities of character, including an unselfish devotion to Simon Fraser University.

Deven’s academic career, so far, has been guided by a passion for environmental advocacy. He started his studies in environmental science, with a particular interest in climate change. As a result, he worked as a research assistant for Dr. Kirsten Zickfield in the Climatology Research Lab at SFU, modelling the impacts of negative carbon emissions on the climate.

Eager to get involved, he ran for and was elected as the undergraduate student representative on the SFU Board of Governors, advocating for the consideration of climate risks in the University’s investments and increased bursaries and scholarships for students.

Deven shortly afterwards joined the Board of Directors of Embark Sustainability Society, SFU’s largest sustainability-focused student society, of which he went on to become Chair.

From his experiences advocating for climate change awareness, Deven decided to switch into a major in economics, anticipating learning more about effective analysis in the hopes of being more effective as a changemaker. He has become particularly interested in environmental and labour economics.

True to his nature of getting involved wherever he can, Deven has been working with economics professor Dr. Hendrik Wolff, analyzing the effect of the BC carbon tax on employment in the province.

He will go on to pursue graduate studies in economics at the London School of Economics in September.

Congratulations Deven, we wish you all the best!