Grad has “the right chemistry” for government job

When Ryan Glendinning was choosing a university, UVic was his natural choice. Not only is the campus fairly close to his family in Port McNeill, but he knew the university’s strong reputation for undergraduate sciences was right up his alley. Four years later his UVic chemistry degree and his co-op work experience have helped him land his dream job right here in Victoria.

As a child, Glendinning excelled in sciences but was particularly interested in chemistry. “I’ve always been fascinated by how chemistry looks at the whole picture—it binds all the other sciences together,” he says.

He immersed himself in UVic’s chemistry program and discovered a real passion for inorganic chemistry after taking a course in transitional metal chemistry with Dr. Scott McIndoe.

Eager to put his academic knowledge into practice, Glendinning joined the UVic Co-op Program. “The Co-op Program opened my eyes to lots of different opportunities where I had the chance to meet people and travel to different areas—it was just phenomenal,” he says.

McIndoe acted as Glendinnings’s academic supervisor for his co-op terms, and with his guidance Glendinning secured two co-op terms with the federal government at Defense Research and Development Canada DRDC, CFB Esquimalt. His skills, knowledge and passion for inorganic chemistry were put to the test as he studied corrosion on military vehicles and established the best corrosion-preventative compound. He made such an impact that he was offered a full-time position with the DND working on similar projects.

Glendinning is already considering pursuing his master’s of science degree, which he can obtain while still working at the DND through the Government of Canada’s professional development academic grant program. “Career options with the DND are great, and there are many opportunities coming up,” he says. “I’m excited about the future.”

Glendinning was awarded numerous scholarships during his studies, including the Millennium Scholarship.