About Me

Don Boyes, Ph.D., FRCGS
Senior Lecturer
Dept. of Geography and Program in Planning
University of Toronto
don.boyes@utoronto.ca

 

I specialize in teaching the theory and application of geographic information systems (GIS) to undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Toronto.  I currently teach about 200 unique students each year spread over five different GIS courses.  I work with and advise students and faculty from a variety of disciplines on various aspects of GIS.  I have a strong interest in the scholarship of teaching and pedagogical development.  As a Senior Lecturer, I am a full-time, permanent faculty member specializing in teaching.  I am a recipient of the Faculty of Arts and Science Outstanding Teaching Award, the APUS-SAC Undergraduate Teaching Award, and multiple recipient of the Dean’s Excellence Award.

Our department is one of the oldest and largest geography departments in North America, with over 2,500 undergraduate and 200 graduate students enrolled in geography courses each term on the downtown (St. George) campus.  The University of Toronto is Canada’s largest university, with over 75,000 students enrolled across three campuses.

I have written for the Esri GIS Education Community Blog and I’m a regular contributor to V1 Magazine.  I have been interviewed by the Toronto Star (Map publishers facing a rough road, Aug. 19, 2011), the Globe and Mail (Mapping out the future of maps, January 26, 2002), the National Post (Fountain of Youth Found: Magician, January 20, 2007), and TVOntario for the program More to Life (Back to Class: Geography Education, May 6, 2004) regarding digital mapping and the role of technology in geography.  I contributed a custom-made map of Canada for the documentary Let’s All Hate Toronto which premiered at the Hot Docs film festival, April, 2007.

At various points in my life I have lived in Ottawa, Saskatoon, Kingston, London (Ontario), Inuvik, and Toronto.

Prior to my current academic position, I worked as a freelance GIS consultant for several years, mainly in the Northwest Territories, but I also had some clients in Nunavut and here in Toronto.

Fellow, Royal Canadian Geographical Society

Member:
Canadian Council for Geographic Education
Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education