Norman Crewe of IOS named top co-op employer

On February 26, analytical research chemist Norman Crewe of Fisheries and Oceans Canada was presented with the 2012 Co-op Employer of the Year Award from among seven outstanding co-op employers nominated by UVic Co-op and Career staff.

Crewe’s research unit at Sidney’s Institute of Ocean Sciences (IOS) is part of a national lab that studies marine contaminants, including pollutants like dioxins, PCBs, bromoethers and pesticides. Since 1993, Crewe has hired two UVic students per term; over 70 co-op students have passed through his doors.

“Co-op students have helped us in so many ways,” Crewe says. “Getting a sample from the stage of a fish to the analysis of the contaminants in that particular sample is a very exhaustive process, and the co-op students do a great deal of legwork. They help us achieve better sensitivity and selectivity in our measurements, make things more efficient and cost effective and answer tons of questions in our work looking at new and emerging contaminants.”

Crewe hires students for a four-month co-op work term in his lab; each student then returns to classes for an academic term before returning to IOS for a second four-month co-op term. During the second co-op term, the senior student mentors a junior student, contributing to a cycle of learning.

“The growth that we see in that eight months of co-op is really remarkable on all kinds of levels, not only in the student’s technical skills but in their growth as a person—working with other people and experiencing what work in a science environment is like,” Crewe says.

Crewe’s past students are grateful to him as a supervisor, especially appreciating his thorough training, challenging projects and feedback.

“Norman puts much thought into deciding on an interesting dataset to assign each co-op student,” says Biochemistry and Microbiology Co-op Coordinator Rozanne Poulson. “He encourages co-op students to attend seminars on a variety of ocean research topics and to network with graduate students and scientists. He has become a lifelong mentor and friend of many co-op graduates who have worked in his lab.”

Crewe accepted his award at Co-op and Career’s annual employer appreciation reception at the Delta Ocean Pointe. More than 100 co-op employers attended the event, which also featured addresses by UVic Vice-President Academic and Provost Dr. Reeta Tremblay, Associate Vice-President Academic Planning Dr. Catherine Mateer and Co-op and Career Executive Director Norah McRae.

Video showcasing the Co-op Employer of the year: www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Fibxh1gE_g