Student Stories
Aidan Chan (Conservation)
February 8, 2024 | Author: Matthew
GIS Business Analyst; Korotu Technology I have been working as a GIS Business Analyst in Korotu Technology, a startup that seeks to provide stakeholders with technologies to fund, protect, and grow Nature-based solutions. For the last 4 out of 8 months in this internship, I was tasked to create a windthrow prediction model for Nova Scotia after being hit by a post-tropical storm. The remote position involved integrating data sources and literature review in my work, but in-person forestry workshops. This coop position let me understand how natural solutions are implemented on a provincial scale, as well as being adaptable under […]
Posted in: Conservation, Student Stories
Tagged with: Co-op, Forestry Co-op, GIS, Natural Resources Conservation, Student Stories
Kristen Robinson (Conservation)
February 6, 2024 | Author: Matthew
Climate Action Technician; Wildsight’s Youth Climate Corps During my third Co-op Term, I have been working with Wildsight’s Youth Climate Corps as a Climate Action Technician. This term I have been working on a Wildfire Risk Reduction Project in the Kimberley Nature park In Kimberley, BC. This project entails the thinning and clearing of fir, spruce and larch regeneration. The goal is to reduce the risk of having a high intensity fire in city limits. The site we are working on is also an important habitat area of the endangered Williamson’s sapsucker, so we are also trying to reduce the risk […]
Posted in: Conservation, Student Stories
Tagged with: Co-op, Forestry Co-op, Natural Resources Conservation, Student Stories
James Lee (Wood Products)
February 1, 2024 | Author: Matthew
Research & Development Intern; University of Rosenheim, Germany “As a research and development intern at the University of Rosenheim in Germany, I have had the pleasure of immersing myself in a new culture both inside and outside of work. The opportunity to live and work in another country without permanent employment has been cherished due to the finite timeline of the internship, allowing for a valuable experience without a long-term commitment. Lastly, gaining insights into the forest industry in another country has been exceptionally interesting, highlighting both similarities and differences. For students interested in traveling or participating in an exchange study […]
Posted in: Student Stories, Wood Products
Tagged with: Co-op, Forestry Co-op, Research, Student Stories, Wood
Ella Hulme (Conservation)
January 25, 2024 | Author: Matthew
Field Research Assistant; Organization for Tropical Studies; South Africa I have been working on a variety of research projects as the Field Research Assistant in South Africa this fall, including vegetation sampling, baobab tree surveys, and camera trap maintenance. I have learned many technological skills using equipment throughout this position, specifically deploying camera traps and taking vegetation measurements. In tandem with my technological knowledge, I have also honed many transferable skills which will aid me in future positions, such as leadership, and organization. Being a Patrick Duffy International Work Award winner has allowed me to pursue this position in South Africa […]
Posted in: Conservation, Student Stories
Tagged with: Co-op, Forestry Co-op, Natural Resources Conservation, Research, Student Stories
Jingyu Wang (Wood Products)
January 19, 2024 | Author: Matthew
Lab Assistant; West Fraser – WestPine MDF I spent 8 months with the professional and friendly West Pine MDF tech team as a lab assistant in Quesnel, BC. Daily routines include Quality Assurance (QA) as well as Quality Control (QC) for the production. Standard tests such as Internal Bond (IB), Static Bending (for MOE/MOR), 24h Soaks, Moisture Content, Profile are required. In addition to conducting mechanical tests, I was involved in projects aimed at optimizing the production process and analyzing data. The creation of a recipe database allows for more in-depth analysis in refining production recipes. I developed a dunnage placement […]
Posted in: Student Stories, Wood Products
Tagged with: Co-op, Forestry Co-op, Student Stories, West Fraser, Wood Products Processing
Julia Thain (Forest Sciences)
January 19, 2024 | Author: Matthew
Research Assistant; Pacific Forestry Centre This fall I completed my final work term and second work term at the Pacific Forestry Centre in Victoria, BC. As a research assistant in the Bark Beetle Ecology Lab, I had the opportunity to work on a variety of projects including field trapping, lab experiments, and GIS work. The main lab projects I was working on involved rearing mountain pine beetles and spruce beetles in logs at different temperature treatments. After periods of time I would peel the insects out the bark to gather data on their development and cold tolerance. These studies are important […]
Posted in: Forest Sciences, Student Stories
Tagged with: Co-op, Forest Sciences, Forestry Co-op, Student Stories
Maria Luna Santacruz (Urban Forestry)
January 19, 2024 | Author: Matthew
Co-op Student – Climate Action Program; City of Victoria For this Co-op term I have been working in the City of Victoria’s Climate Action Program. I have been working in various projects which include a business case for the cost of doing nothing about the climate crisis, gathering data on commercial and residential building energy consumption and related emissions, and extracting and summarizing data from a community engagement survey. For this term one of my main goals is to hone my skills on data visualization; as such I have further improved my Excel skills and learned how to use Power BI. […]
Posted in: Student Stories, Urban Forestry
Tagged with: Co-op, Forestry Co-op, Student Stories, Urban Forestry
Ainsley Hannah (Conservation)
January 16, 2024 | Author: Matthew
Environmental Co-op student; Teck Coal Ltd; Sparwood, BC This is my fifth and final co-op work term, and my third term with Teck Coal Ltd. I have been working as an Environmental Co-op as part of the Fish Team since January 2023. The Fish Team is responsible for fish habitat and population monitoring in and around Teck’s mine sites in the Elk Valley. So far, I’ve spent this term working in the field on a wide range of projects including angling surveys, barrier assessments, and stream temperature monitoring. One of the main projects I’ve been working on is leading our team’s […]
Posted in: Conservation, Student Stories
Tagged with: Co-op, Conservation, Forestry Co-op, Natural Resources Conservation, Student Stories
Abigail Brown (Conservation)
January 9, 2024 | Author: Matthew
Biological Science Technician; U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) In my work with the US Geological Survey, I have been working on an experiment exploring seed dormancy cycling in desert plants. This study aims to explore intra-specific variation of this trait within the Mojave desert, and the potential impacts of climate change on seed dormancy cycling. Dormancy is critical to seeds surviving extreme summer temperatures and long periods of drought, and to ensuring that plants germinate at times when conditions are most favourable to survival. This trait, while critical to the survival of entire desert ecosystems, has previously been vastly understudied. I am […]
Posted in: Conservation, Student Stories
Tagged with: Co-op, Forestry Co-op, Natural Resources Conservation, Student Stories
MUFL Alumnus Q&A: Hendri Deetlefs
January 8, 2024 | Author: UBC Forestry
Hendri Deetlefs, Master of Urban Forestry Leadership (MUFL) alum, shares his experience in the program and how it has impacted his career.
Posted in: Alumni, News, Students
Tagged with: Graduate, Master of Urban Forestry Leadership, MUFL, Student Stories, Urban Forestry