WINNIPEG -- The University of Manitoba announced on Friday it is creating a fellowship and a scholarship to honour those who died on Ukrainian International Airlines flight PS752, which crashed in Iran on Jan. 8, 2020.
David Barnard, U of M president and vice-chancellor, said the university’s community members are still grieving the event and have taken to the time share stories, hold vigils and reflect on the tragedy.
“Though we are still coming to terms with this unbelievable event, our unity in the face of this tragedy has moved two groups within the UM and larger community to raise funds to honour the lives we have lost,” he said.
The statement said a fellowship will be created to honour all the victims with ties to Manitoba. It will be awarded on an annual basis to a graduate student in a STEM-related field.
A scholarship has also been created to celebrate the legacy of scientist Forough Khadem, who graduated from the U of M with a PhD in 2016. It will be awarded to international female graduate students in the STEM disciplines.
“Like the scholarship’s namesake, recipients will demonstrate leadership, embody a pioneering spirit and have a desire to make an impact on the world through their science,” the statement said.
A number of people on flight PS752 had ties to the U of M, including Amirhossein Ghorbani Bahabadi, who was studying at the International College of Manitoba; two U of M graduates Pedram Mousavi and Mojgan Daneshman, who were most recently living in Alberta, were confirmed as being among the victims; and Amirhossien Ghasemi, a graduate student in biomedical engineering.
