Renyuan Ma (Wood Products Processing)

Research Assistant – The University of British Columbia

I am a forestry co-op student working as a research assistant at the Bioproduct Institute at the University of British Columbia. Until now, I have been working on the vegan wood leather project. Specifically, the project involves delignification, drying, plasticizing, waxing and many other steps to make the wood pieces flexible and soft.

As this project is led by the Ministry of Forestry, my job is to identify and implement optimizations in the experiments, and to update the theoretical components to provide a solid theoretical basis for wider application and quantitative production.

This Co-op placement has enriched my laboratory experience and given me a better understanding of chemistry and materials research, such as the preparation of reagents, the use of a range of chemical equipment such as lyophilization, and how a complete research project moves forward.

Data Mining Co-op Student – The University of British Columbia

As a Data Mining Intern, I have joined the Wood Sawmilling & Optimization Lab under the supervision of Professor Julie Cool. During my internship, I have assisted in wood machining project, process quality control project. I have been able to learn the basics of data analysis and also how to develop models for the analysis. As a Co-op student, I appreciate the chance to learn things that I would not learn in regular courses and also the opportunity to apply them into projects.

Wood Products Manufacturing Analyst – Triforest Manufacturing Inc.

During my work, I held the position of quality inspector. My main work consisted of performing experiments and quality inspections. Every day I measured the length and width of the board, checked whether the color was correct, and whether there was a difference between the height of the board.

Over time, I took on more responsibilities in my role. In my second work term at Triforest, I conducted initial inspections and random checks in the laminating and molding workshops, as well as performing physical and chemical performance tests. The first thing I did each day was to inspect the surface, thickness, and decorative paper of the first batch of boards in the laminating workshop. In the panel division workshop, I checked for surface defects. In the molding workshop, I measured the length and width of the boards, ensured the colors were accurate, checked for height discrepancies, and assessed the tightness of the boards to ensure smooth slotting for the next board.

The company provided me with the opportunity to learn, so that I am more proficient in how to correctly do the physical and chemical performance test and the correct steps and precautions of inspection. To succeed in this role, I learned that time and effort are necessary conditions.

General Manager – Element Lifestyle Retirement Inc.

I handle the company’s daily marketing business, focusing primarily on promoting our soft and hard furnishings, renovations, and structural design. I also gather and document user feedback for analysis.

Currently, we are in discussions and collaboration with Dr. Hung, a professor specializing in healthcare robotics at UBC. We are exploring ways to advance business automation through research and in-depth conversations, aiming to achieve goals such as energy saving and service automation.

Timber Engineering and Applied Mechanics (TEAM) Laboratory Assistant – The University of British Columbia

I have been working with my supervisors at the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship’s Timber Engineering and Applied Mechanics (TEAM) Laboratory at the University of British Columbia on understanding the structural behavior and mechanical test procedures of structural wood products. I have gained extensive knowledge by reading books provided by my supervisor, which cover procedure for various mechanical tests and structural behavior of structural wood products. I have assisted the TEAM lab in completing a range of experiments, including the screw tensile test, monotonic loading test, reverse cyclic loading test, screw withdrawal test, lumber bending test, and hardness test.

During this time, I used the mechanical test system and the Instron machine. This hands-on experience has been invaluable, allowing me to understand the basic rules and mechanical properties of different wood products.

Through my co-op term, not only have I developed my technical skills and knowledge but also gained a deeper appreciation for the practical applications of my studies.