2010 Co-op Students of the Year announced

Innovative, ambitious and eager to make an impact—these are the qualities shared by three extraordinary students who were recognized for their outstanding work ethic, initiative and engagement after being selected 2010 Co-op Students of the Year by their respective Co-operative Education Program and Career Services offices.

Electrical engineering student Benjamin Taylor was named the Co-op Student of the Year for Engineering and Computer Science/Math Co-op and Career. Taylor spent a work term working for UVic electrical engineering professor Dr. Tao Lu, where he helped set up a laser to create tiny doughnut-shaped cavities on a silicon chip. These cavities can potentially be used to create high-precision clocks and may even been applied to biological research. Taylor’s project would usually take a graduate student two months to complete; he completed the project in one month.

Biochemistry and microbiology student Chelsey Lane received the Co-op Student of the Year award for co-op’s Optional and Professional Programs group. Lane spent eight months working as a co-op student with UVic professor Dr. Alexandre Brolo, during which time she helped developed gold nanoparticle probes to help monitor cancer treatment. She was selected to share some of the lab’s research at the Rising Stars of Research undergraduate poster competition at UBC and won second prize in the biochemistry and molecular biology category.

MBA student Jay Gillette spent a work term as a strategy analyst with the Department of National Defence (CFB Esquimalt). His tasks included developing a performance reporting system to improve office practices related to customer service, resource application and program delivery. Gillette’s supervisor Michael Morrison considered him such an integral member of the team that he was invited to work on the organization’s 2011/2012 business plan.

Co-op students of the year are nominated by their employers and co-op supervisors.