Simon DePasquale

Spring 2023 Valedictorian

Simon DePasquale grew up with a love for the outdoors and, in particular, fish and fishing. That passion has trickled into his studies where his love of fish and science meet.

A member of the Upper Mohawk band, Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, DePasquale has excelled at every level of his studies and is now pursuing research with a goal to protect and manage Indigenous fisheries.

His pursuit and curiosity have translated into several research projects in the Hasler Fish Biology and Conservation Lab. Under the guidance of Dr. Caleb Hasler and Dr. Jennifer Jeffrey, his research has been presented at four national science conferences and will lead to several publications. 

DePasquale also found time to participate in campus life. This included serving as President of The Wildlife Society, as well as volunteering with UWinnipeg’s Chapter of the Canadian Indigenous Science and Engineering Society. He also helped mentor current and future students by working as a lab demonstrator and hosting Indigenous high school groups on campus. 

During his time at UWinnipeg, DePasquale earned a place on the Dean's Honour List as a Student of Highest Distinction every year of his studies. He also received more than 20 academic awards and scholarships, including two Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Undergraduate Student Research Awards.

He was also recently awarded the prestigious NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship. This award will allow him to complete a Master of Science at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, which he has already begun. He is currently researching the overwintering ecology of arctic char in Kugluktuk, Nunavut to help protect this food resource for local Inuit communities. 

To the Class of 2023, DePasquale shares this advice: "Follow your passions and find a way to incorporate what makes you happy into your career."