Convocation ‘24: Sarah A. Namiiro, MSc Forest Biology and Management, Renewable Resources

Donna McKinnon - 25 November 2024

 

Sarah Namiiro finds inspiration in forests, whether that's the tropical rainforests of her native Uganda, or the boreal forests of northern Canada. After earning a bachelor’s degree in tropical forest conservation from Makerere University in Uganda, Sarah moved to Canada to continue her ‘forest journey’, drawn by Canada's vast forests and advanced forestry industry.

Forestry, she says, is more than the study of trees — it is an exploration of diversity and complex connections. 

“It covers these intricate and resilient systems with wildlife, people, creeks and so much in between. It encompasses and supports natural and human cycles and systems including the climate and economies.”

Her thesis, Developing gridded climate data for Africa with deep neural networks, contributes to a database that provides historical and future climate data for Africa.

“Working on this study has been one of my life's greatest joys,” she says. “I had no prior experience with programming machine learning models like deep neural networks but this project introduced all these amazing concepts.”  

Now working as a resource analyst with Forcorp, a forestry consultancy company based in Edmonton, Sarah is grateful for the opportunities she’s had as a student in the Forest Biology and Management program.

“The U of A has been a dream come true,” she says. “Having learned about Canadian geography ages ago in my Ugandan high school, it's been a full circle moment to experience life here.”

Congratulations Sarah!


What led you to choose your current area of study, and why the U of A for your studies?

That's a question that always gets me reflecting and leaves me smiling. I'm from Kampala, Uganda, which is thousands of kilometres away, and that is where my forestry journey began with my bachelor's degree. I didn't think much of it at the start as it was the only option I had a scholarship offer on from the Government of Uganda. However, one semester in, I discovered that it was the best decision I ever made. I understood the value and diversity of forests and forestry.

While trees are the first thing that comes to mind, to me, forestry is more than just that. It covers these intricate and resilient systems with wildlife, people, creeks and so much in between. It encompasses and supports natural and human cycles and systems including the climate and economies. When I discovered that I loved working with this diversity, I decided to advance with a graduate degree. Canada has one of the largest forests in the world and such an advanced forestry industry, and that pointed me to this part of the world.

The University of Alberta was first recommended to me by my undergraduate supervisor who did their PhD here (and always spoke of it with pride). I checked out the Department of Renewable Resources going through the different profiles and ongoing research and I knew with my entirety that it is where I wanted to be. And so I applied for the Master of Forestry (course-based) and later transferred to a Master of Science in Forest Biology and Management (thesis-based). Within my study, I've learned a lot about boreal and other Canadian forest ecosystems, appreciating the common points and differences with tropical forests. With forestry, there is something new to learn every day and as it goes on and on. Within this diversity, I also delved into data management and machine learning which formed a big component of my research to support the accessibility of climate data for Africa. 

The U of A has been a dream come true. Having learned about Canadian geography ages ago in my Ugandan high school, it's been a full circle moment to experience life here.

What is one of your favourite memories from your time at the U of A?

That would be my experience as a teaching assistant. I was a TA for the Fall 2023 and Winter 2024 in environmental statistics courses, and being on the other side of the classroom was very rewarding. It was fascinating to see the interesting projects people were working on. To be honest, I probably learned more as a TA and I have a lot of appreciation for my professor and the students. One of the best feelings on the job was when I could support someone to find a solution to a challenge. I have to say, it was a very fulfilling experience that I might even want to pursue teaching/academia in the future.

Tell us about your favourite professor and/or class.

My favourite professor, who also doubled as my supervisor, is Andreas Hamann. He is very brilliant and enthusiastic in a way that inspired me to learn more and advance with the work I did for my thesis (deep neural networks for climate data interpolation). Even the classes I took with him, REN R 580 (Applied Statistics For Environmental Sciences) were well curated and project-based—a learning format I deeply appreciate due to its applicability. And it gets better. Having a number of international students in his lab, Professor Hamann invited us on multiple occasions to his home for holiday dinners with his wife Nancy Bray, where I also got to hang out with their two maine coon cats! As an international student with no close relatives in Canada, this meant a lot to me and I cannot thank the Hamann's enough for their warmth and kindness!

Did you take on any leadership roles while you were a student? If so, please share your experiences.

I did! I was the Vice President (Student Life) of the Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences Graduate Students’ Association 2023-2024. My main role was organizing events hosted by the GSA. We had a number of events including the ALES Research Symposium, an onboarding event, a potluck and mentorship, among others. The entire executive team was great to work with, especially the VP Communication, Jo Ann Chew. The ALES administration was particularly very supportive of our events and I got exposure on the events approval system on BearsDen, which I appreciated! The highlight of this experience is the several amazing people I met and the connections I made that I otherwise wouldn't have made without this role.

Did you face any significant obstacles or challenges during your program, and if so, how did you respond?

Yes, I almost canceled my program at the start because I did not get my visa to travel to Canada in time. Admitted for Fall 2022, I was only able to travel in January 2023. However, I did not defer or decline my admission and instead took my first term online. With a nine to ten hour time difference, this was a bit of a challenge having to take night classes and not making it to the orientation events. Nonetheless, I am eternally thankful for the U of A and professors for accommodating online classes and taking into account the different circumstances. I was able to successfully complete that term and continue the rest of my program in person.

What advice do you have for current and future students?

Enjoy it! School is a lot of things but it is also fun and in my experience, learning goes a lot easier when you like what you're doing. Try out different things at university as well like a leadership role, a new sport, go to the student events and meet new people. It is the experiences along with the academic knowledge that mould you into a better person.

How do you plan on celebrating convocation?

Unfortunately, my family is not able to join me at this convocation but I'll definitely have a dinner or party celebration with them whenever possible. At the moment, the plan is to have a small dinner with some friends and colleagues.

What's next after graduation?

I'm currently working as a resource analyst with Forcorp, a forestry consultancy company based in Edmonton. In my role, I do spatial data analysis, support the creation of forest land-bases, and the development of forest management plans, among other duties. This job is particularly exciting for me because I can exercise my passion for forestry and my knowledge of data management and modeling. Additionally, the company has a great team of people that I've learned a ton from since joining. I also recently got to do some field work regarding caribou habitat restoration in the western part of Alberta. Nothing beats being outdoors in forest landscapes with a mountain view as part of work!