1. Can you share a pivotal moment in your journey in science so far that fueled your passion for biochemistry?

I think a moment that was quite significant for me was during an organic chemistry lab where we were required to make up our own experiment to form soap! I had never made my own experiment but after some research and planning, I had come up with a procedure. To my surprise, I successfully made soap in that lab experiment and that just showed me that I had creative potential and willingness to learn more and do more in biochemistry.

2. How has working in Sabin Kuss’s lab influenced your understanding of biochemistry? Are there projects you have been working on that excite you?

Working in Sabine Kuss’s lab gave me good work experience that one would normally not see in a classroom lab setting. Working with electrodes and whole grain toxins was really interesting as well as conducting the experiments. I mastered analytical techniques in electrochemistry during my term under her guidance that I know will be beneficial in the future for my prospective field in science. Currently, I am working on an exciting project that involves the effects of shift work (overnight working) on cardiovascular health during pregnancy and the effects it has on fetus development at the St Boniface research centre.

3. In your journey so far, have you experienced any unique challenges in the Faculty of Science? How have you navigated those challenges?

From experience, my specific focus, biochemistry, went through some course schedule changes in the semester that I declared it as my major. Some of the courses I had done were not considered prerequisites anymore and credit hours had been added to my list. I spoke to the science advisor about the situation, and she assured me that the extra credit hours could be fulfilled by any electives I wanted to take. She also encouraged me to always audit my degree every semester to make sure I stay on top of all requirements.

4. What can the department, faculty or university do to remove barriers that cause those challenges or support students in those areas?

I think the department can make the students aware of any major course changes concerning their prospective degrees well in advance before entering that specific faculty. This helps the student to better plan their courses and class schedules hopefully for future semesters.

5. Being part of the scientific community, how do you actively contribute to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion within the Faculty of Science?

I’m always looking out for opportunities in information sessions, skills workshops, poster competitions grants and awards to understand more about the options available to international students in science. Knowing all this I can help the next person in need of academic assistance or at the very least refer them to the right resources in making their decisions. At the end of the day, they deserve the correct information and the right guidance for their journey in university.

As an employer, you will have the opportunity to become a mentor to aspiring business students by contributing to their education outside of the classroom. Entrance to the Asper co-op program is competitive, which means your business will be hiring some of our top talent. Successful applicants will have been pre-screened and admitted to the program based on academics, professionalism and communication skills.

In a survey sent to our summer 2023 employers, 99% of supervisors would recommend an Asper co-op student to their colleagues. If that doesn’t have you convinced, we’ve curated a list of our top six reasons to hire an Asper co-op student.

1) There’s funding available

Don’t let money be a barrier in hiring an Asper co-op student. Did you know that you can apply for funding up to $7,500? The Government of Canada’s Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) even has a variety of funding opportunities to hire students for experiential learning. We have created a list of wage subsidy options for future employers.

2) No office, no problem

With the new virtual work landscape, your geographic location matters less. From Vancouver, British Columbia, to St. John’s, Newfoundland, our students can join your workspace from anywhere. While the Asper School of Business is based out of Winnipeg, many of our students are willing to work virtual or even temporarily relocate if possible.

3) They bring a new perspective

One of the benefits of new hires is that they bring a fresh perspective. At the Asper School of Business, we pride ourselves on being leaders in our industry, ensuring our students are up-to-date on industry trends. Our students don’t shy away from learning, are eager to take on new tasks, and quickly adapt to our world’s changing technology. While they can bring a variety of skillsets to your workplace, they are best known for their willingness to learn from others.

4) It’s good for business

We understand the difficulties of staffing, which has been made more difficult by the pandemic. Your hiring practices are changing, staff are adapting to a virtual work place and you need to find employees who fit with your work culture. When you hire a co-op student, your company can fill any temporary or short-term staffing gaps.

There’s also the added bonus of reducing your recruitment and training costs. If the co-op placement is a good fit for both parties, we often see employers extend a student’s term and sometimes offer them fulltime employment. This means you can skip the new employee onboarding as you’re gaining a staff member who is already familiar with your company values, culture and business.

5) We have both undergraduate and graduate students looking for co-op

Due to the success of the Bachelor of Commerce co-op program, introducing the program at the master’s level was the logical next step. Employers can now choose from students studying a BComm, MBA, Master of Finance, or Master of Supply Chain Management and Logistics, allowing organizations to find students with the skillsets and experience that suit their business.

6) You invest in the future

When you employ a student, you are helping shape the future of business. Every year, we have more than 500 BComm and master’s students graduate. They take everything they’ve learned in and outside the classroom–co-ops included–to their new workplaces.

The Asper co-op program has been around for more than 14 years, and our grads are employed around the world. It’s guaranteed that they will never forget the impact their co-op terms made on their education and professional career.

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Ready to hire an Asper co-op student? Visit our Information for Employers page to find out your next steps.

Sikand completed an eight-month work term as a Human Resources Manager at GFIT Wellness, a popular fitness company supporting individuals through their wellness journey. Sikand was nominated by Grant Reid, Founder and CEO of GFIT Wellness and Kelly Mahoney, Director, Asper Co-operative Education Programs, for consistently exceeding expectations and relentlessly seeking solutions when developing the company’s HR process and policies from scratch.

“The two co-op work terms that I did with GFIT have been a life-changing experience for me,” said Sikand. “When I look back at where I started, I realize that I have come a long way, and I am so much more confident about my skills and abilities.”

Calling on her education to establish and implement an incentivized compensation and bonus plan, Tanvi’s initiatives saved the company hundreds of thousands of dollars, improved team morale,  positioning the company to accelerate and scale their growth revenue trend.

“Tanvi’s performance exceeded our expectations,” said Grant Reid, Founder and CEO, GFIT Wellness, “Her ability to adapt to anything that she is presented with shows that she is gritty and resilient. She has a promising future.”

In addition to outstanding contributions to the workplace, Sikand has been an ambassador and role model within the Asper Faculty. Currently an active mentor for junior co-op students with the Asper Students Co-op Association (ASCA), she also serves as the Commerce Students Association Co-Chair for International Engagement and is an active member in the community, volunteering for Manitoba Harvest, United Way and Shinerama.

Congratulations is also due to UM Co-op Champion Awards honourable mention, Clarissa Klenke, from the Faculty of Science.  

Clarissa Klenke, Faculty of Science

Klenke, a fourth-year Chemistry student, completed a four-month work term at the Viral Exanthemata and Sexually Transmitted Diseases Unit at the National Microbiology Laboratory, where she continues to work as a part-time employee transitioning to full-time employment upon her graduation in May.

“Clarissa consistently demonstrates high-quality technical skills, organization and excellent work ethic and initiative,” notes Dr. Elizabeth McLachlan, Manager, Research and Herpesvirus Diagnostics with the National Microbiology Laboratory. “She has an in depth understanding of the rationale behind the study design and troubleshoots research problems effectively.”

Klenke’s research while working with the National Microbiology Laboratory was a success with the results pending publication. Her new method validating whole blood and dried blood spot specimens will be of interest to the greater epidemiology and immunology scientific communities.

“Returning to courses between work terms, I found that my Co-op experience was advantageous in both labs and lectures,” said Klenke. “The bench work I developed transferred into my university labs directly, allowing me to focus on the experimental theory. Science Co-op has made a lasting impact on my life by providing me the space to grow professionally and personally.”

For more information on co-operative education programs at the UM, visit the co-op website.

Margot Henry knows the difference one choice can make. Prior to entering the Faculty of Science’s Co-op program, UM Science student Henry hadn’t even considered going for a Master’s degree. To hear her tell it, she was focused on finding a job after graduation, plain and simple.

“Science Co-op was by far the best decision of my undergrad. You learn many things in your classes, but a lot of it is theoretical. I didn’t actually know how statistics and all the things I was learning in class was applied in the real world. I didn’t know what I was going to do with my undergraduate degree after I graduated.”

Henry’s first co-op term was spent under the supervision of Dr. Aleeza Gerstein. At the time, Gerstein was new to the UM, a shared hire between the Departments of Statistics and Microbiology. Not only was it Henry’s first time as a co-op student; it was Gerstein’s debut as a co-op supervisor. Henry says that it was during that time when she was able to experience the research side of applied statistics. It was also the beginning of learning how to code, and the importance of coding with regard to statistics.

Both Henry’s second and third co-op terms were spent at Manitoba Health. She reports her stints there as a junior epidemiologist taught her a great deal about how statistics is applied in a government setting. During that time, one of her supervisors at the government agency was Dr. Carla Loeppky, Director of Epidemiology and Surveillance Information Management and Analytics.

Loeppky says that Henry’s work went from “… preparing simple descriptive code relating to reportable diseases to merging different data sets to run complex analyses. It has been exciting to see her gain confidence, develop expertise in the field of public health, and provide interpretation of her work. Recently, the evidence she has generated relating to COVID and hospitalizations has been used to drive public health action.”

Henry’s final co-op term allowed her firsthand knowledge of how statistics is applied during a pandemic. Henry says, “The whole work term was COVID-19 projects and reports. It was exciting to be on that side of the pandemic.”

Senior Epidemiologist Dr. Songul Bozat-Emre was another of Henry’s supervisors at Manitoba Health. She describes the hard-working co-op student as “exceptional”, adding that “… her work has provided evidence to better understand the risk factors associated with severe outcomes among COVID-19 cases in Manitoba.”

After finishing her co-op, Henry reflected on everything she had learned in order to decide what she wanted to do after graduation from UM. As such, she plans to pursue a Masters in statistics with an interest in biology and coding. Her advisor is her former co-op supervisor Gerstein. Henry feels that they worked well together previously, and is very excited to be back in Gerstein’s lab in the Buller Building.

When asked if she feels that the Science Co-op program was a worthwhile experience, Henry is quick to say that without it, she wouldn’t have opted to continue her studies at the graduate level.

“I had my mindset on finding a job after I graduate; a Masters was not even crossing my mind.”

Henry’s final thoughts on co-op are positive:

“The [Science] co-op team are superstars. They are there when you need them. They make you feel confident, help you build your resume, prep you for interviews, are there if you just need to talk or have any questions. I highly recommend the co-op program to every single student!

Jennifer is a fifth year Bachelor of Science (Biochemistry) student; who is also completing a minor in Native Studies. As part of Science Co-op, Jennifer completed 12 months of degree related work experience. Her first work term in Summer 2018 was with Partner Technologies Incorporated (PTI) Transformers in Winnipeg. PTI designs and manufactures HV padmount transformers for use in a high voltage padmount transformer station.

During her co-op work term at PTI, Jennifer learned how to write Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), advanced her benchtop lab skills, became proficient in using Excel to interpret analytical lab results and used specialized instrumentation to measure the chemical and physical properties of transformer oil. Jennifer was described by her supervisor as “a motivated learner who catches on quickly; can work on her own and shows initiative.” A great first co-op work term; the experience from which Jennifer was able to successfully leverage for her subsequent work terms.

For her next two co-op work terms, Jennifer headed west to Alberta and completed an eight-month position (January-August 2019) with the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton; located on the University of Alberta campus. The Cross Cancer Institute is one of two tertiary cancer centres in Alberta and is a lead centre for cancer prevention, research and treatment; and hosts the University of Alberta Department of Oncology; a branch of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry.

Jennifer was a member of Dr. Frank Wuest’s Oncologic Imaging Research Group. Dr. Wuest’s research team have been advancing the concept of personalized medicine at the molecular level. The research team designs short-term radioactive atoms, which are then attached to molecules. These molecular probes bind to specific biomarkers for cancer. With the probes in place, and using PET imaging, one can identify and track cancer cells to monitor tumour growth and progression and to assess the response to treatments. This work is called “translational cancer research” as it moves quickly from the lab to practical clinical applications.

During her work term, Jennifer significantly contributed to an on-going research project through the preparation and characterization of peptides as targeting vectors for molecular imaging and therapy of cancer. She synthesized a library of peptide radiotracers to image cancers via Positron Emission Tomography (PET). She quickly became well-versed in solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), as well as MALDI-TOF and LC Mass Spectrometries. In addition, Jennifer also had the opportunity to develop her communication skills by delivering a research presentation to a large, professional audience for the first time. Jennifer was described as having “impressive problem solving skills and is an excellent communicator.”

Jennifer brought the same hard work and motivation to her community contributions. For the 2019-20 academic year, Jennifer was the Science Co-op Student Ambassador. In this role, Jennifer was a key individual in supporting Science Co-op with student outreach and enriching the student co-op experience. Jennifer readily shared her co-op experiences to current and future Science Co-op students. Outside of school, Jennifer gives back to her community. She is an active volunteer with organizations such as Cancer Care Manitoba and St. Amant.

What does the future hold? It seems medical school is the next step in Jennifer’s career path as she is spending this summer preparing for the MCAT in August.

Jennifer is a stellar individual who exhibits all the qualities of an outstanding co-op student. Jennifer will undoubtedly continue to succeed in whatever endeavor she tackles with her determination, hard work and motivation. It has been a pleasure to have her as a Science Co-op student.

As well, congratulations to Clarke Garrioch (Computer Science) who was runner-up for the Co-op Student of the Year Award. Both Jennifer and Clarke are excellent ambassadors of the Science Co-op Program and the Faculty of Science.

Original article

In partnership with the Faculty of Arts Co-op Program, co-op is now available to undergraduate Psychology Major students in both the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Science.

In Psychology, students study human behaviour and cognition to explore the ways people act as individuals and in groups. Students participate in areas such as research methodology, development, social psychology, learning, perception, cognition, neuropsychology, physiological psychology, personality, psychopathology and organizational behaviour. Psychology students develop strong analytical, statistical and research skills. They gain a broad education with the emphasis on psychological theory and methodology with an empirical basis in their course work and a focus on experimentation and projects.

With Psychology Co-op, participating students will have the opportunity to gain degree related work experience, build their professional networks and develop the critical interpersonal skills needed to succeed in the workplace. Co-op will allow Psychology major students to gain applied skills and insights to prepare them in their career development or for graduate studies.

For more information about Psychology Co-op (Science), please visit the Science Co-op website: www.sci.umanitoba.ca/co-op.

Application for Psychology Co-op (Science) is currently open and will close on June 1, 2020.  To learn more about Science Co-op, eligibility requirements and application process, please visit this page.

Somia met with the Co-Op Coordinator Leslie Goodman to reflect on her experiences as a co-op participant, and her continued involvement in the co-op with the program as a mentor and employer.

WHEN DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN CO-OP AND WHAT CHALLENGES AND SUCCESSES DID YOU ENCOUNTER?

I participated in the co-op program between 2002 and 2006. As an international student and new to Canada, I faced many challenges beyond a new language and culture. The Canadian market and work environment were learning experiences to say the least. Enrolling in the co-op program eased my transition and proved to be one of the most rewarding decisions of my life. It provided me with access to employment support services, training and professional development. It also increased my exposure to professionals in my field of study. I credit my current success to my participation in the co-op program.

WHAT TYPES OF POSITIONS DID YOU COMPLETE WHILE IN CO-OP?

I completed two terms as an environmental planner for an engineering and planning firm that turned into a full-time job after I graduated. Through this position I worked on several environmental assessment projects for the energy sector. I spent a third term working in Ethiopia with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) on institutional capacity building and developing a model for identification of social issues for micro-dam projects. By graduation, I completed applied research and independent studies and had networked with company executives, trade commissioners, regulators, practitioners and senior academics. 

NOW AS AN EMPLOYER, HOW ARE YOU ENGAGING IN CO-OP?

Narratives Inc. is working closely with the co-op office to create opportunities for students to introduce them to the world of impact assessments, Indigenous engagement and conflict transformation. Our goal is to give students a flavour for environmental and community development work through professional development evenings, networking events and internships. We have a student professional development event coming up and are looking to use role-playing and case studies to bring concrete examples to students who are moving into the environmental assessment and community engagement.

DESCRIBE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CO-OP PROGRAM IN:

•  defining career goals:

A co-op placement can be best explained as a paid sampling experience – you get a sense of what opportunities align with the courses you’ve taken, and what career path you should be on. 

• gaining applicable experiences to your undergraduate training:

I enjoyed my courses so much more after my first placement because I understood that classroom knowledge could be put to real use.

AS AN ALUMNUS, WHAT ARE YOUR WORDS OF WISDOM IN:

• professional development as an undergraduate student:

 Absolutely critical! I have said this to students many times over the years: find a professional cheerleader! If your only cheerleaders are your family members, you’re in trouble. Get out there and find a mentor, find two mentors, or even find three! If you have a mentor, they can be your compass, your benchmark, your way to tell what you need to succeed in the field.

• participating and engaging in professional activities and organizations:

This is very important. As an employer, I want to know you are passionate about learning, are driven, and will be a brand ambassador for us! You’re not just “doing a job” — it is something you truly love. So, yes, participate as much as you can. We’re watching!

For more information on the co-op education programs at the University of Manitoba, visit the co-op website.

What did you like about participating in the co-op program?

A highlight of the Co-op program is the freedom it offers students. Students have the ability to schedule work terms in consultation with the Science Co-op Office based on their degree progress, apply for work terms out-of-province and abroad, as well as discover and broaden their own research and work interests. Each Co-op student’s experience within the program, even for students pursuing the same degree, is unique and personalized according to their goals and this support can help students get a head start on their career aspirations. 

How do you think participating in co-op benefited you?

Co-op has afforded me many professional opportunities that I otherwise wouldn’t have had access to. During my work terms and involvement in the program in general, I was able to accelerate my professional growth and network beyond the U of M and even Winnipeg communities. I consider this aspect invaluable. My recent work term has also benefitted me by giving me the opportunity to pursue research in an area of longstanding interest to me. 

Another benefit that the program has given me is the opportunity for personal growth. Pursuing an 8-month work term in Edmonton was initially difficult for me, as I had no prior experience with the city and no contacts there. This challenge pushed me to leave my comfort zone in order to acclimate myself to my new city and make connections, and I feel much more confident having overcome it!

What kinds of things did you learn during your work placements?

During my most recent and final work term of 8 months (January-August 2019) in Edmonton at the Cross Cancer Institute as part of Dr. Frank Wuest’s Oncologic Imaging research group, I synthesized a library of peptide radiotracers to image cancers via Positron Emission Tomography (PET). I quickly became well-versed in solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), as well as MALDI-TOF and LC Mass Spectrometries. In addition, I also had the opportunity to deliver a research presentation to a large, professional audience for the first time. In my first work term, which took place here in Winnipeg at PTI Transformers, I learned how to write SOPs, expanded my knowledge of Microsoft Excel, and got to use specialized instrumentation to measure chemical and physical properties of transformer oil. 

What would you say to students considering applying to the co-op program?

Firstly, I would encourage prospective students to explore their interests by asking questions to co-op program representatives (who are very approachable and helpful!), professors, or upperclassmen. Determining the best route for you allows you to have focused expectations and maximize your work terms.

Secondly, I recommend students make an effort to seek opportunities to become as well-rounded as possible. In my experience, employers ultimately look for students who they feel are eager to learn and adapt. The Science Co-op Program is centered around personal and professional development, and in order to maximize your improvement, students should aim to be adaptable and coachable.

So far, the Science Co-op Program has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my undergraduate degree from academic, professional, and personal standpoints. I am confident that my skills and experience from the program will facilitate the achievement of my future goals.

For more information on the co-op education programs at the University of Manitoba, visit the Co-op website.

Competing in Team Momentum, Gary Tong and John Larmie won a category prize as well as the hackathon grand prize for MemoApp, a personal home assistant for people with dementia.

Currently researchers have difficulty accessing the “real-life” cognitive issues that dementia patients face, most tests are standardized to fit the control standards of scientific experiments. There is also a struggle to collect better and more accurate health and environmental information about dementia patients, whether that be how close they live to certain industries, or other underlying medical conditions they might have.

MemoApp is based on Amazon’s personal assistant Alexa. Using Alexa’s technology, Memo collects and processes patient data by tracking how often dementia patients ask the same questions, amongst other tasks. Because of this Memo allows researchers to collect more “real-life” measurements of cognitive ability.

“The idea of Memo came during a brainstorming session, as a crazy and impossible idea at the start of the competition, because of how novel it seemed. John is always coming up with crazy ideas and he’s not afraid of having ambitious goals,” said Tong. “At the same time, he communicates well with other team members and ensures that everyone knows their role within the project.”

“Gary is always trying to look at ways where the product may be weak and finds improvements,” said Larmie. “Our team’s advantage was certainly our strong enthusiasm for the project and our motivation to see it through despite the brutally long hours of competition.”

Team Momentum. Contest photo: http://community.hackernest.com/t/dementiahack-toronto-2017-official-info/208

As part of their prize, the members of Team Momentum received services, mentorship, connections, meetings, and sessions with individuals from LLPs, faculty from Harvard, experts from the Canadian Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation, and more. Not to mention, the team split a nice cash prize and were given tickets to a number of conferences, summits, and even a Toronto Raptors game.

“The best part was the opportunity to connect with a lot of companies who are passionate about fighting dementia. We were given so many valuable resources, and opportunities to really share our project, it’s been very overwhelming,” said Tong.

Tong and Larmie are currently based in Kitchener, Ontario, where they work with the company Desire2Learn, (yes, that same D2L that runs UM Learn) on a co-op work placement term through the Department of Computer Science. During their time there they have been busy networking, attending tech conferences, socials, and meet-ups.

It was through these social circles, that Tong and Larmie met their fellow members from Team Momentum, students from the University of Waterloo.

“Gary got involved with the local student church community and met a friend, Cherry, who was also heavily interested in technology and a product design major at the University of Waterloo,” said Larmie. “Cherry then introduced us to another product design major. Each individual had different strengths that contributed to our teams success and we got along well.

The achievements and connections that Tong and Larmie have made would not be possible without their participation in the co-op program.

“The co-op program posts jobs every term from a wide variety of employers across Canada, the US, and beyond. Our students can choose to stay and work in Winnipeg, or apply to leave town for a term to work at national and multi-national companies and organizations,” said Lisa Wise, co-op program coordinator.

“Wherever our students go, we encourage and enable them to meet new people and make connections in the industry. Amongst their established counterparts in the workplace and fellow co-op students, they find mentors, participate in exciting activities, and make new friends. We also encourage our students to start and join projects, to build a portfolio of work that interests them, and to create a profile that shows employers what they can become when they launch their careers.”