Student Stories
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 & Environmental Stewardship’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
Jolene Powell (Forest Sciences)
October 16, 2025 | Author: Carolyn Wijaya
COPE Co-op Educ Student – BC Hydro
As a Co-op student with BC Hydro’s Integrated Vegetation Management team, I contributed to wildfire risk mitigation and habitat restoration across British Columbia, gaining valuable hands-on experience in field assessments, hazard tree identification, and monitoring urban forest Regreening projects.
Posted in: Forest Sciences, Student Stories
Tagged with: Co-op, Forest Sciences, Forestry Co-op, Student Stories
Miguel Paulhus Bermudez (Wood Products Processing)
October 16, 2025 | Author: Carolyn Wijaya
Engineering Student – Tolko Athabasca
I am doing my fourth and last co-op term at Tolko Athabasca, an Oriented Strand Board (OSB) and Laminated Strand Lumber (LSL) manufacturing facility. During my work-term here I have had the pleasure of working with the Technical team to learn more about the process of making these products.
Posted in: Student Stories, Wood Products
Tagged with: Co-op, Forestry Co-op, Student Stories, Wood Products Processing
Jessica Driver (Natural Resources Conservation)
October 16, 2025 | Author: Carolyn Wijaya
Wildlife Research Assistant – The University of British Columbia
During my second term as a research assistant for UBC’s Tree Ring Lab, I have performed a variety of fire-related research tasks. Mainly, my work this summer included collecting fire history data from published reports and papers to support a fire history reconstruction study led by Dr. Jen Baron.
Posted in: Conservation, Student Stories
Tagged with: Co-op, Forestry Co-op, Natural Resources Conservation, Student Stories
A Finnish Summer: Jasmine Eisener’s Internship with Metsähallitus
October 2, 2025 | Author: UBC Forestry
Jasmine Eisener, a second-year BSc student pursuing a Forest Operations major, spent her summer in Finland at Metsähallitus Forestry Ltd.
Posted in: Forest Operations Featured, News, Students
Tagged with: Field Work, Forest Operations, Student Stories, Summer Job
How Colin Hillmer Found His Path in Wood Products
September 18, 2025 | Author: UBC Forestry
Learn how Colin Hillmer discovered his passion for wood products at UBC, combining science, business, and engineering while gaining hands-on co-op experience.
Posted in: Alumni Profiles, News, Wood Products Featured
Tagged with: Alumni, Climate Change, Co-op, Student Stories, Wood Products