Co-op
Hanlu Zhu (Wood Products Processing)
October 20, 2025 | Author: Carolyn Wijaya
Project Assistant – UBC Department of Wood Science
Over the summer, I worked as a Project Assistant in the Faculty of Forestry’s Wood Science lab at UBC. My main role has been to support the professors with various projects. Currently, I’m building a bat house for the bats living in Stanley Park – I’ve already finished a prototype and had a meeting with the project team, where they kindly shared some suggestions for improvements.
Posted in: Student Stories, Wood Products
Tagged with: Co-op, Forestry Co-op, Student Stories, Wood Products Processing
Yueyue Zhong (Forest Operations)
October 20, 2025 | Author: Carolyn Wijaya
Summer Student – West Fraser
I have been working at West Fraser’s Blue Ridge Lumber mill as a Summer Student, assisting with a variety of tasks including spark watch, clean-up, painting, and providing support to different crews. Through this experience, I have learned valuable technical and safety skills such as lockout procedures, completing safety forms, using basic tools like grinders, and understanding mill operations.
Posted in: Forest Operations, Student Stories
Tagged with: Co-op, Forest Operations, Forestry Co-op, Student Stories
Zhongqian Zhang (Wood Products Processing)
October 20, 2025 | Author: Carolyn Wijaya
Marketing Co-op – Decorate Maste Decoration Engineering Co., Ltd.
I have been working as a Marketing Co-op at a custom home renovation company, where my main responsibilities include identifying potential clients, coordinating communication between designers and customers, and promoting the company brand through both online and offline channels.
Posted in: Student Stories, Wood Products
Tagged with: Co-op, Forestry Co-op, Student Stories, Wood Products Processing
Xiaoxuan Yu (Wood Products Processing)
October 17, 2025 | Author: Carolyn Wijaya
Research Assistant – Jianghan University
I’m working on an exciting research project transforming wood veneers into transparent films. My work focuses on developing innovative methods to impregnate these bio-based materials with functional additives, creating next-generation composites with specialized properties like fire retardancy.
Posted in: Student Stories, Wood Products
Tagged with: Co-op, Forestry Co-op, Student Stories, Wood Products Processing
Toby Ye (Urban Forestry)
October 17, 2025 | Author: Carolyn Wijaya
Junior Counselor – Vancouver Botanical Gardens Association
I’m a junior counselor for the Vancouver Botanical Gardens Association. I’ve been working with children ages 5-10 and taking them on a week-long day camps where they get to do crafts, adventures, and foster a love of nature. Some camp activities include pond peering, aquatic ecosystem paintings, and tag games that complement the camp theme of the week.
Posted in: Student Stories, Urban Forestry
Tagged with: Co-op, Forestry Co-op, Student Stories, Urban Forestry
Riker Yang (Wood Products Processing)
October 17, 2025 | Author: Carolyn Wijaya
Polymer Materials Testing Co-op – Jiangsu United Testing Services
I am working as a testing assistant at United Testing Service, a materials testing company in China. During my Co-op placement, I worked on both the physical and chemical testing of metal and plastic materials, focusing on their mechanical properties and compliance with international safety standards.
Posted in: Student Stories, Wood Products
Tagged with: Co-op, Forestry Co-op, Student Stories, Wood Products Processing
Andres Villuendas-Flores (Forest Resources Management)
October 17, 2025 | Author: Carolyn Wijaya
Forestry Summer Student – Lil’wat Forestry Ventures
I have been working as part of the Silvicultural surveying crew at Lil’wat Forestry Ventures. We have been focusing on the type of surveys that monitor the health and growing condition of forest blocks that have been treated in some way, including through burnings, logging, plantings, brushing, etc. I have learned a lot about this process from start to finish.
Posted in: Forest Management, Student Stories
Tagged with: Co-op, Forest Resources Management, Forestry Co-op, Student Stories
Megan Tsoi (Forest Sciences)
October 17, 2025 | Author: Carolyn Wijaya
Wetland Naturalist – Kootenay-Columbia Discovery Centre Society
I have been working as a Wetland Naturalist in the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area (CVWMA) at the Kootenay-Columbia Discovery Centre in West Creston, BC. The CVWMA is 17,000 acres of internationally recognized protected wetland. Put aside in 1968 for conservation and recreation, it was the first protected ecological area in BC and is under its own act. One of its objectives is providing education to the general public about conservation and the ecological processes of the wetland.
Posted in: Forest Sciences, Student Stories
Tagged with: Co-op, Forest Sciences, Forestry Co-op, Student Stories
Mya Tsai (Wood Products Processing)
October 16, 2025 | Author: Carolyn Wijaya
Project Management Co-op – Merit Kitchens
This summer, I had the opportunity to work as a Project Management Intern at Merit Kitchens in Surrey, BC, for my second co-op work term. The primary focus of my role was to evaluate and streamline the company’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) across all key business functions.
Posted in: Student Stories, Wood Products
Tagged with: Co-op, Forestry Co-op, Student Stories, Wood Products Processing
Kristi Tang (Wood Products Processing)
October 16, 2025 | Author: Carolyn Wijaya
Research Assistant – Sustainable Built Environment Lab
For this co-op term, I’ve been working at the Faculty of Forestry’s Sustainable Built Environment Lab at UBC, where I’m developing a scaled-down mock-up of a light-frame timber building system. It feels a lot like building a piece of furniture – it’s fun, hands-on, and surprisingly complex.
Posted in: Student Stories, Wood Products
Tagged with: Co-op, Forestry Co-op, Student Stories, Wood Products Processing