Nimrod Rozen

Nimrod Rozen is a third-year student studying a combined major in chemistry and ocean sciences, and the recipient of the Norah and Calvin Banks Chemistry Scholarship. Nimrod gave his permission for extracts of his letter to the donors of this award to be shared below, along with photos from his research trip to the Beaufort Sea in the Arctic. 

Dear [donors of the award],

I am writing to you to express how sincerely grateful I am for your incredible generosity in providing me with this support for my studies. Award donors, such as yourselves, have made such an incredible impact on my education, and have allowed me to pursue my passion of learning to a degree that I may not have been able to otherwise.

The ongoing support I receive from donors, and the entire university community, has truly inspired me and shown me how higher education can, and should, be a communal effort, so it is my hope that one day I will be in a position where like you, I can give back to young passionate students.

I was born in Jerusalem, but moved to Vancouver when I was five years old, and was taught from a very young age to appreciate the beauty of the outdoors. Growing up, no matter the time of year, I could almost always be found swimming, kayaking, sailing, or paddling in the waters around Vancouver. So throughout high school, as I began planning for my future, I knew that my plans had to be centered around the ocean. Fortunately, when I began my studies at UVic in 2019, a new program had just been introduced, merging the disciplines of chemistry and ocean sciences.

Long term, I hope that my education in this combined degree will set me up for a career in which I can use the principles of chemistry to investigate how the ocean is responding to climate change, in particular mechanisms such as carbon, nitrogen, and other nutrient cycling in marine environments. Luckily, the support of the university has already given me incredible opportunities in chemical oceanographic research.

In fact, as I write this letter to you now, I am on board a coast guard ship (the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent) in the middle of the Beaufort Sea in the Arctic, participating in an ocean ice study through the Institute of Ocean Sciences in Sidney, BC.

This is my second research cruise in the Arctic this year, and I am still somewhat in shock at the fact that I am fortunate enough to be participating in such an incredible project.

None of this would have been possible without the support of the university staff and faculty that have helped guide me through my studies, and without the support of award donors such as yourselves who have put me in a position where I can contribute to such meaningful and interesting research. It just goes to show what an incredibly supportive community UVic provides for its up-and-coming students.

Sincerely, Nimrod Rozen

Along with the letter, Nimrod sent a small vial of Artic Ocean water that he had gathered from approximately 3400m below the surface.

“I thought you might appreciate having a small piece of one of the world's most interesting and dynamic oceans in your home.”