Marcel was drawn to programming since completing a ‘teach-yourself-in-24-hours programming textbook’ when he was 12; he has been fascinated ever since!  He admits he was not fond of math in high school, however as he progressed through his senior years he grew to appreciate the many ways math was incorporated into life and learning:  for example, he was amazed that all of high school physics could be completely described very concisely using the language of calculus.

His participation in the honours program gave him the opportunity to work very closely with his professors and he gained valuable experience by presenting his poster at the annual Faculty of Science Honours Fest.

Marcel has completed numerous co-op terms.  When asked what stands out about his experience at UVic, he replied, “Co-op definitely stands out for me.  I have been able to pay for my education through the program and it has given me real work experience that I can use in the future.”  Marcel recently submitted a paper to a computing conference in Cambridge that was accepted and he will be travelling to England this summer to give a talk about his research.  When he returns, he will return to one of his co-op employers for the remainder of the summer. 

Marcel has received numerous awards and scholarships throughout his time at UVic, including the UVic President's scholarship in 2010 and the Jamie Cassel’s Undergraduate Research Award in 2011.

He will be attending McGill University in the fall to start his Master's degree and then possibly a PhD.

When asked what advice he would give to incoming students, Marcel says, “Talk to your professors about what they are working on. Ask them if there are any projects that you can help them with. Also, live in dorms or an off-campus student house if you can, preferably close to the university.  You'll make some good friends, and there's a lot to be said about living close to campus. It's possible to use the co-op program to pay for your rent and tuition.  Finally, if you are somewhat interested in math, do the Putnam competition. There's a lot of perks to doing it; it is fun and challenging at the same time.”

A self-confessed math nerd, Marcel enjoys making 3D models out of stiff paper in his spare time; he is also an avid cyclist, enjoys reading, photography, playing board games, and gardening.

Learn more about co-operative education and the Department of Mathematics and Statistics