Meet the 2022 Bursary Awardees
Top Row: left to right - James Hayter, IFLA President, Sally Robertshaw, IFLA Executive Secretary and Jeff Onkundi
Middle Row: left to right - Samson Mutinda Ngonzi, Matilda Grunauer and Natalia Kogia
Bottom Row: left to right - William de Assis da Silva, Sheyla Pérez Gaytán and Monica Pallares, IFLA CER Committee Chair
2022 IFLA Bursary Awardees
For the first time IFLA has awarded bursaries for 6 students enrolled in an accredited landscape architecture program or a recent graduate up to 5 years to attend the IFLA World Congress in South Korea.
We received a high number of applications for this bursary and are delighted to introduce you to the first year awardees who are joining Delegates and IFLA Executives in Gwangju. We will be sharing a review of their time at the Congress soon.
Okari Jefferson Onkundi
My name is Okari Jefferson Onkundi, and I am a fourth-year student studying landscape architecture at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) in Kenya. I have a strong interest in this profession of landscape architecture, and it has always been my long-term ambition to find lasting answers to issues like storm water management, resolving flooding issues, and good planning for our cities and environment. This year's IFLA congress in South Korea will greatly assist me in connecting with other landscape architects, getting mentors, and being inspired to create designs that will greatly transform our Kenyan environment to make it favorable for living, working, enjoying different spaces, and also interacting with one another. Attending the congress will help me learn how other landscape architects from around the world have solved these specific problems in their countries. When I have direct contact with the international audience and other professionals from around the world, my dream will be that much closer to being a reality.
Samson Mutinda Ngonzi
I'm Samson Mutinda Ngonzi, a final year landscape architecture student at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology,Kenya. I am really grateful to IFLA for this opportunity to participate in the world congress. I look forward to learning from practising landscape architects and professionals on their experience in the field.This will also be an opportunity for me to share and learn from other students from diverse backgrounds. Lastly, I look forward to learning some Korean culture and creating some new friendships.
Matilda Grunauer
My name is Matilda Grunauer, I'm 22 years old and currently studying Landscape Design at the University of Buenos Aires. I firmly believe that participating in the IFLA Congress will allow me to acquire new knowledge and inspiration while learning how Landscape projects work in other countries. I´m looking forward to meeting professionals and students from all over the world.
Natalia Kogia
My name is Natalia Kogia and I live in Athens, Greece. I studied Architectural Engineering in the National Technical University of Athens and am currently working on my thesis project in the postgraduate programme for Landscape Architecture in the Agricultural University of Athens. I am very excited to be given the opportunity to attend the IFLA World Congress in South Korea through the Travel Bursary initiative. This will be my first time travelling outside Europe and an amazing chance to experience the South Korean culture.
I applied for the bursary since I believe that a constant exchange of views, experiences, challenges and solutions is a pivotal part of architectural studies. I am excited to converse with fellow students from all over the world and attend the congress, eager to learn about the practice of Landscape Architecture and the challenges it rises to meet across the globe, as I attempt the start of my personal career.
Landscape architecture, as a discipline, is still at its very first steps in Greece. At the same time, Greece is one of the most biodiverse countries in Europe, playing host to tens of thousands of species of animals and plants and landscapes of exceptional natural beauty, while the greek cities already suffer the severe consequences of climate change. Landscape architecture and its interdisciplinarity are in grave need to be incorporated in city planning and national strategies, architectural studies and design processes, but most importantly, every day life and the public conscience.
William de Assis da Silva
I'm William de Assis da Silva, a 27-year-old student who lives in São Paulo, Brazil. I am currently in the last year of the Architecture and Urbanism course at Federal Institute of São Paulo (IFSP), a public university. I believe this opportunity will provide me skills to deal with the challenges of Brazilian urban space, especially by approaching recent topics in the landscape architecture field and getting to know diverse cultural practices.
Sheyla Pérez Gaytán
I'm Sheyla Pérez Gaytán, a 22 years old and I'm Landscape architecture student from UNAM National Autonomous University of Mexico, I'm in eighth semester and I am very grateful to have been chosen for this congress in Korea by IFLA, I hope with this opportunity I can get to know the vision and perspective on the landscape in a country that has this issue as a priority and can bring a little bit of knowledge to my country and improve my surroundings and also make friends that can share their perspectives from their countries and culture.
Follow the IFLA Social Media Channels for info on their travels #IFLABursary2022