This year, we talked with Riya Timpog, our wonderful co-op coordinator for Life Sciences programs at the Faculty of Science. Timpog comes from a background in the arts and psychology with expertise and experience in career development and community building. She is a proud Filipino Canadian who implements the concept of “bayanihan” into her work with the students.

Co-op Works! event, November 2024, from top left, Ivy Mannil (Computational Sciences Co-op Coordinator), followed by senior Co-op student presenters: Gulnaaz, Dadiso, Owen; bottom left to right: Riya Timpog, Louis, Miao Yi, Eldrec; virtual presenters Randi and Vincent.

“One thing that I also hold really dearly as a Filipino Canadian and that I try to incorporate in my position here in the Faculty of Science in an academic Canadian environment, are the values of hard work, resilience, positivity, and the concept of “bayanihan”, which is the spirit of community, belonging to a community, helping one another without expecting anything in return”, says Timpog.

Summer 2024 site visit at the St Boniface General Hospital with Witta (Genetics student, far left), Princess (Co-op alum and current employee, 2nd from right), and Dr. Wenjing He (Co-op supervisor, far right)

Timpog tells us that she sees her position in the Faculty of Science as an opportunity to represent her community in academia and the fields of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) and show that Filipino Canadians belong in various capacities in science and make meaningful contributions in different ways.

Watch the full interview on the Faculty of Science’s YouTube channel to be inspired by Timpog and her work at the University of Manitoba.

This year’s event is a thoughtfully curated experience for Computer Science alumni, fourth-year students approaching graduation, industry professionals, and tech enthusiasts in Winnipeg.

The symposium includes job booths from Winnipeg startups and tech industry leaders, fascinating research updates from faculty, talks from students and industry about their exciting projects, insights from the Computer Science Department and anything tech-related!

It will be held on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, from 6:00 to 9:30 p.m. on the Second floor of the UMSU University Centre. Tickets are on sale now. Save your spot!

We look forward to connecting with the community and networking throughout the evening.

This year, the Faculty of Science talked with Dadiso Magadza. An undergraduate student in chemistry who has successfully completed her co-op program with innovative companies such as Pollard Banknote and PTI Transformers where she gained invaluable skills and in her words, got to see what the real world looks like. “The highlight of my journey has been getting hands-on experience and my co-op experience”, says Magadza. As she is nearing her graduation, she hopes the University improves students’ access to information critical to their programs and higher education journey. She hopes future students in science believe in themselves, use all the resources they have and seek help from their peers and professors.

Watch the full interview on the Faculty of Science’s YouTube channel.

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.

Her son is now 10, and in just under a decade, she has obtained a bachelor of science in biological sciences, participated in UM’s Science Co-Op Program and is now pursuing doctoral studies in microbiology. MacMartin is also a Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winner in the Community Impact category.

“This is all for my son so I can show him that you can do this, no matter what your life stage,” she says.

During her undergraduate co-op, she started working in a lab with her current supervisor, where she has remained through her studies.

“Our lab focuses on a bacterium called Legionella pneumophila. It’s very well-studied because it causes a lot of infections in humans, but there are a lot of other species that also cause infection,” she says during a phone interview from the lab. “I’m focusing on some of those lesser-known species. In particular, I’m looking at its persistence in drinking water or potable water because it’s a waterborne bacterium.”

Water, it seems, has played a significant role in MacMartin’s career. She started out as a mentor in the Verna J. Kirkness Science and Engineering Education Program at UM in 2018, hosting visiting Indigenous students who took part in science activities like water sampling.

She also won two NSERC Aboriginal Undergraduate Research Awards for her involvement in the CREATE H2O program with the department of microbiology, participating in water sampling trips to First Nations communities, where she enjoyed talking to people about their concerns first-hand.

“Obviously, my research is very important to me, but I think a lot of the motivation I’ve had along the way is that outreach,” says MacMartin. “I really enjoy working with young Indigenous people, particularly those from outside the city. I want them to come into the research lab and see that it’s not scary, and tell them, ‘If I can do this, you can totally do it.’” She also volunteers her time with UM’s Indigenous Summer Student Internship Program, working side-by-side with students in the field.

Despite her many accomplishments, including an Indigenous Award of Excellence for Outstanding Student Achievement in 2019 and NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarships – Master’s and now Doctoral, MacMartin remains humble and offers the following advice to others who may be interested in pursuing a similar path.

“Be patient and recognize that sometimes, it takes a little bit longer to get to where you want to be, but you will get there eventually,” she says. “Don’t be so set in stone in terms of next steps; take the opportunities as they come. That’s been an important thing for me to realize.”

MacMartin says the fact that she works “in a fantastic lab with fantastic people” has also helped her realize her dreams. In fact, she was working in the lab when she found out she had been selected for the Top 100 Award.

“I was confused and talked to the people who nominated me to clarify,” she recalls, laughing. “It feels fantastic to have the mentors in your life recognize what you’re doing and put your name forward for an award like this.”

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.

Now working full-time at the Public Health Agency of Canada she states, “I have a front-row seat to the emergence and spread of new variants in Canada.” This causes her to her remain vigilant in her work. She reflects on when they first spotted the B.1.1.7 variant of concern in Manitoba and then watched it relayed on the evening news in the days that followed.

Madison remarks that a lot of her day-to-day work revolves around data cleaning, as she is responsible for inputting huge amounts of data samples from labs across Canada into the national database. Her job is to make sure the data is consistent and of high quality. She then generates reports that go out to the provinces as to what kinds of genomes there are and if there are any variations of concern.

Her interest in science and more specifically microbiology started in early high school with a book she was given by her mother called, The Hot Zone, by Richard Preston, about the Ebola outbreak. Light reading for the average young student not quite, but this book sparked a passion in her to find better methods to better combat challenges brought out from emerging pandemics. However, if you would have asked 9th grade Madison what type of career she would have, she never thought it would have been working from the computational side, I wasn’t always very comfortable with computers, I thought I would be working in the lab with the deadliest viruses ever, and now I am much more content to be not doing that.”

Her passion for bioinformatics started in her 2nd or 3rd-year of university with a course in molecular evolution. Which she describes as, “using computational methods to analyze biological data.” In this class, students had to find genome sequences for different organisms and had to put the information into a computer program that generated a phylogenetic tree. She remembers, “everyone else in the class was thinking, why do I need to know a computer programing to do molecular biology? And there I was thinking, this is the coolest thing in the world,” she laughs.

Madison says, “There’s not a chance that I would have found this field without Science Co-op at the UM. I learned an astounding amount in each of my Co-op placements. She proclaims the job she has now is a direct result of hard work and her Co-op experience.

“Co-op is really designed to train students for what work will be like after graduation. I feel I would not be nearly as confident in my current job as I am. I would not have known that this is what I wanted to do, but I was able to do explore three different work placements in very different sectors.” 

Science Co-op placements can take you halfway around the world as Madison can attest, one of her placements was in Singapore. There she worked on two projects in Dr. Lit-Hsin Loo’s lab at the Bioinformatics Institute, one computational and one in a wet lab. Her research focused on fluorescent probes that bind to proteins in cells. They were both greats project, explains Madison, but the latter was also really quite beautiful to see illuminated under the microscope. Her only regret was that the placement was only four months, as it was such a valuable experience in such a beautiful place.

Madison with fellow students in Gerstein Lab.

Madison wants students to know that they should take full advantage of their degrees.

“Gain as much experience as you can during your degree. There is this huge pressure to get your degree done in four years, instead focus on the valuable experiences that you get beyond your studies.”

This includes taking advantage of not just Co-op but applying for summer undergraduate research opportunities and Undergraduate Student Research Awards, (URSAs). Madison received a URSA Award in 2018 and was supervised by Dr. Georg Hausner and Dr. Ayush Kumar. For her Undergraduate Honours project, she worked on genome sequencing with Dr. Aleeza Gerstein, a great mentor of hers. Working with Dr. Gerstein, Madison researched how low doses of drugs used to combat Candida albicans cultures allowed the organisms to become resistant to the treatments. She remembers Gerstein showing her the specific well in the plate where the samples started to display tolerance to the drug, she remembers saying, “Amazing! Evolution in action!”

While completing her undergraduate degree Madison was also a Bison Track and Field athlete and modeled on the side with Panache modeling agency, she took a gap half-year in 2015 to work in southeast Asia (the Philippines and Thailand).

What’s next for this globe-trotting, soon-to-be cutting-edge researcher, UM alumni, and scientist you ask? She hopes to take every bit of experience that she gains from her current job and apply it to graduate studies in bioinformatics and confirms that, “although I may be studying out of the province, Manitoba is 100% my home”.

CEWIL accreditation recognizes the highest quality of post-secondary co-operative programs.

Dean Stefi Baum is delighted by the news.

“We have been working diligently to integrate quality, experiential learning opportunities throughout our programs for our students; not only to enhance and further develop their skills but to broaden their awareness of the many diverse opportunities that exist beyond the classroom.”

The following Science Co-op programs have been accredited:

• Biochemistry
• Biological Sciences
• Biotechnology
• Chemistry
• Computer Science
• Genetics
• Microbiology
• Statistics

Dr. Mark Torchia, Vice President of Teaching and Learning, University of Manitoba, is also pleased by the news.

“I congratulate the Faculty of Science on attaining accreditation from CEWIL for the Co-op programs. This is an important recognition of the quality of the programs, the commitment of instructors to high-quality education, and the significant engagement by students in programs that greatly benefit their short and long-term learning needs. Providing all students with opportunities for Experiential Learning is a goal for the University, and I look forward to additional opportunities and programs being developed and recognized for their quality.” 

Co-op fieldwork. Students Jacalyn and Rhiannon collect samples and data on endangered native Manitoba plant species.

More program options will soon be added to the list. Geoff Anderson, Director of Science Co-op, anticipates it will expand to include, Mathematics, Data Science, Psychology, Physics and Astronomy. These new program options recently introduced have yet to have a graduating class.

When asked about the significance of the CEWIL accreditation Anderson explains it provides credibility with internal stakeholders such as faculty, departments, senior leadership and students; and with external stakeholders such as employers, industry associations, government and the co-op/WIL community at large.

“Achieving CEWIL accreditation is a reflection of the quality programming and service delivered by Science Co-Op. Accreditation demonstrates Science Co-op adheres to national quality standards and best practices set forth by CEWIL to deliver a strong, reputable program. Accreditation provides the framework from which to continue the growth of Science Co-op to more students in the Faculty of Science as well as growing the scope of employment opportunities for our co-op students.”

The CEWIL was extremely impressed with Science Coop applications and the innovative and successful programming, in particular, they noted the following:

• A very high and consistent match rate for co-op students (above 96%)
• The Out-of-Province Co-op Work Term Relocation Grant
• Employer recognition Awards

Margot Henry, who worked this year, with MB Health to provide COVID-19 statistics, says Science Co-op was by far the best decision she made during her 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 could be applied in the real world. I didn’t know what I was going to do with my undergraduate degree after I graduated.”

Henry credits Science Co-op for helping her realize that earning a Master’s degree would be her next step.

Employer, Jeff Howie, Manager, IGM Data Development also a strong supporter of the Science Coop program, says IG Wealth Management has used Science Coop as a key recruiting process, and regularly hires from the program says,

“I’m always amazed at the quality of the individuals.” 

Geoff Anderson adds, “Science Co-op students have completed co-op work terms locally, nationally and internationally. Partnering with Science Co-op allows employers to feed their talent pipeline with high-quality students who are pre-screened, engaged, eager to learn and ready to work. With extensive and comprehensive pre-employment training, Science Co-op prepares our students to achieve success in the workplace.”

Learn more.

Visit the Science Co-op Website: www.sci.umanitoba.ca/co-op/

Science Co-op Info. Session (Virtual)
Feb 9, 2021
5:00 – 7:00 pm

How Statistics is Applied During a Pandemic

Science Co-op Opens Doors for Computer Science Student

UM Co-op student of the year

Student lands job at Apple

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.