Laboratory Research Assistant at Canfor in Burnaby, BC
I am continuing my work term as a Laboratory Research Assistant at Canfor Pulp Innovation for my third co-op work term. This May, I got the opportunity to go to the Northwood Pulp Mill in Prince George with several other staff members to conduct a fibreline audit. During this audit, we followed certain sets of chip samples, tracked when they would reach certain digesters and machines, and collected pulp samples at calculated times based on the operating speed of the machines. We brought those collected pulp samples to the pulp mill’s laboratory and dewatered them to remove chemicals such as black liquor, and we would bring those dewatered samples back to our workplace in Burnaby for further testing and refining. I was able to gain a broader perspective on how pulp mills operate and I also got to look at how pulp mills process pulp into their final form as machine room pulp sheets, which are sent to our workplace for additional refining and testing. I am grateful to be part of the Co-op program because it has allowed me to try out different career possibilities that are relevant to my studies, as well as experiencing more opportunities while maintaining my full-time student status.