Xavier hails from Muntinlupa City, Philippines, and his upbringing instilled in him a love for learning and the natural environment. Now a second year in UVic’s Civil Engineering program, he hopes that the program’s emphasis on sustainable built environments will enable him to become involved with initiatives that aim to reduce our society’s environmental footprint. Xavier was drawn to the VKURA internship because he saw it as an opportunity to use research to advance sustainability and to be exposed to the academic research environment. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, playing music, and spending time outdoors (particularly sailing).

Darius Amini is currently an undergraduate student at the University of Victoria and will major in Biochemistry. He eventually wants to become a medical student following his undergraduate studies and pursue his goal of achieving a career in medicine. Some of Darius’ volunteer experiences include volunteer work at StartLine Physiotherapy and assisting seniors through the Better at Home Program. If Darius can’t be found on the University of Victoria campus he can be found playing soccer or wandering around Victoria’s downtown.

Anna Brinham is starting her second year at UVic as a Psychology student in the Faculty of Social Sciences. Anna grew up in White Rock, B.C. and moved to Victoria 6 years ago, where she attended St. Michaels University School and graduated with the Governor General’s Academic Medal. As a French immersion student, Anna loves languages and studied English and Writing in her first year, including two electives in Victorian studies which sparked her interest in 19th-century culture. In her free time, Anna enjoys hiking, camping, and reading – preferably all in the same day!

My name is Amélie Cazelais. I am starting my second year studying at the University of Victoria doing a Chemistry and Biochemistry combined major. I love hiking and playing the piano. Chemistry is a vast field that explores the world itself at the molecular level, which I find fascinating. As a career, I would love to go to medical school after completing my Bachelor of Science. I am very grateful to have gained more laboratory and research experience this summer, allowing me to explore further in an academic field that I enjoy.

I am a second-year Bachelor of Computer Science student who wants to become a data scientist in the future but is really into digital creative art and storytelling.

My name is Lillian Crowder, I am 21 years old, and I am heading into my second year of the BCOM program at the Gustavson School of Business. I am passionate about absorbing as much information as I can about the world of entrepreneurship and plan to be a founder some day soon. In my spare time, I am a creative and active person. I love to ski, swim, hike, and camp, as well as paint using oil pastels and sculpt.

Hello, my name is Savannah Dam and I am student reading Physics and Biochemistry, at the University of Victoria. Before entering post-secondary education, I was a home-based leaner, completing all of my education outside of a classroom. In addition to my major and the arts, my passions lie in aviation and aeronautics. I am currently working on my PPL and hope to pursue aviation in the future. I love the Welsh language and my favourite word to date is cerddoriaeth, which means music, and is pronounced as ‘k-eh-rr-th-o-ee-eye-th.’

My name is Theo Davis. I’m a UVIC student studying Music and Computer Science. I was born and raised in Toronto.

Luca Gaffney was born and raised in Victoria British Columbia. He grew up loving all things creative. In high school, Luca realized he enjoyed mathematics. While taking part in the IB Diploma Program he took an Economics course. This course was what sprouted his love for the subject of Economics. Luca began studying at the University of Victoria in the fall of 2021. He aims to obtain a BSC in Economics and move on to graduate studies. In his spare time, Luca likes to spend time with family and friends, read, and play ultimate frisbee as well as basketball.

My name is Faith Grant, I am going into my second year here at UVic and am studying sociology and I’m from North Vancouver. In my spare time I love exploring Victoria’s beaches and beautiful downtown. I love listening to music, spending time with family and friends, and am a bit of a foodie.

From Spokane, Washington Naomi Harris is a versatile Japanese-American musician who specializes in accordion performance. Harris currently studies Accordion Performance at the University of Victoria. In their free time Harris enjoys weightlifting.

My name is Oliver Hopewell, and with the support of the VKURA internship network, I have been studying the workings of the European Semester, a policy coordination tool within the European Union. I am in the department of political science, with an interest in international politics. I am going into my second year at the University of Victoria, where I hope to continue studying academic work and data related to the functioning of differing political systems.

I am Eamonn Irwin I am 19 years old and am pursuing a degree in Biology with the hope to get into medical school.

I was born in Victoria and have lived my whole life here. I have been practicing Taekwondo since I was 7. I learned to solve the rubik’s cube at the age of 10. I studied science in high school and now have moved on to biochemistry at UVic, my long term goal is to become a medical doctor. I enjoy cycling, driving, hiking, skiing, and swimming. I am currently studying and training for a private pilot’s license.

My name is Denaisha Kraft and I am originally from the small town of Sylvan Lake, Alberta. Although I have enjoyed many of the courses that I have taken, my current plan is to major in physics. I was also the recipient of the Schulich Leadership Scholarship for science at UVic. I also have a twin sister, and outside of school I enjoy playing various sports such as badminton and tennis.

Andrew Lane is a mathematics student at the University of Victoria from Portland, Oregon, U.S. He is interested in theoretical mathematics and enjoys the puzzle-solving aspect to it. Andrew loves to learn, and his hobbies include learning languages, playing musical instruments, hiking, gardening, playing games, browsing Wikipedia, and more.

Nathan Leonard is an undergraduate student studying Chemistry at the University of Victoria, bussing in all the way from Esquimalt! Nathan loves coffee, plants, and cool weather. His interests lie in the development of new materials, and how they can be used to improve daily life and safeguard the health of our communities and environments.

My name is Ana Paula but I go by Ana. I was born and raised in Mexico City and last year I came to Victoria to start my undergraduate studies in mathematics and astronomy. I love nature and spending time outdoors, and I have always been passionate about understanding the world around me as well as getting out of my comfort zone and seeking new experiences. In my free time I like to read, draw, cook, play the guitar, and do yoga, among other things.

I am Omar Madhani, currently a second-year computer science student at the University of Victoria. I was born in Santa Clara, California and grew up in Bellevue, Washington, a city just outside Seattle. My current programming experience includes Java, Python, and C. I also have experience using UNIX and Jupyter Notebooks. I enjoy playing basketball frequently and volunteering. A couple of years ago, I was a member of Global Encounters, a service-learning program for Ismaili Muslim youth across the globe, where, in India, we improved a primary level school and collaborated with AKDN institutions.

My name is Paige Mckenzie and I am a uvic student about to enter my 4th year of studies at the Gustavson School of Business. I am specializing in Entrepreneurship and am studying abroad in Germany for a semester.

Chloe Mee is an English Honours major who is starting her second year at the University of Victoria in the Fall 2022 Semester. She is a part of the Scholar’s Program in the Faculty of Humanities. In her first year, she took courses in English, French, linguistics, psychology, philosophy, humanities research, and encoding. Chloe attended Collingwood School in Vancouver for high school and took first-year courses in calculus, French, sciences, research, and English literature and language during this time. Outside of UVic, Chloe enjoys running and hiking in her home province of BC, as well as reading and writing.

Rebecca Meitz is entering her second year of studies at the University of Victoria working towards her Bachelors of Arts in History. She is a recipient of the UVIC excellence scholarship, a humanities scholars program student and a 2022 recipient of the Valerie Kuehne Undergraduate Research Awards. Rebecca has been a research assistant for the project “La Perfection du corps féminin, entre discours anatomiques et défense des femmes 16-18” since November 2021.

My name is Jessica Milum, I am currently a fourth year standing student at the University of Victoria, working towards a bachelor of commerce. I was born and raised in Vancouver, BC before moving over to the island for school. This is my first research project undertaking, which I am thrilled to be a part of. My father is a quadraplegic and my mother works with patients who have suffered brain injuries, so I have a vast understanding of the difficulties of receiving and retaining employment while living with a disability.

Connor Monk is an undergraduate Geography student interested in learning about GIS and Remote Sensing. He is an Intern and Research Assistant for the SURREAL Lab. His work is mainly focused on the Sooke Hills Wilderness Project, which analyzes human-wildlife interactions through the use of cam-traps located in the Sooke Hills Wilderness Area and the adjacent Greater Victoria Watershed Area.

Sam Nelson is a Software Engineering student attending the University of Victoria and comes from Pitt Meadows, BC. He has an interest in coding, programming, problem solving, academics and athletics. Outside of school he is very active and tries to exercise and explore whenever he can. He likes to play intramural basketball and make new friends.

I am a second-year Computer Science student at the University of Victoria with a research emphasis on crowd simulations and software development. Through the VKURA internship, I was able to thoroughly explore the field of crowd simulations. I enjoyed the creativity that this research allowed because of the numerous possible solutions to solving different problems. With the skills I’ve learned from this internship, I hope to continue research and software development related to AI and crowd simulations. In my spare time, I enjoy indoor bouldering and working on programming-related projects.

Sam Shipley is a second-year economics student from Victoria, BC. Coming from a diverse, multi-ethnic household, he is passionate about diversity and inclusivity. He chose to study at UVIC for its pleasant atmosphere and welcoming community. He is enthusiastic about research and hopes to use the knowledge he gained from this internship to pursue further research in undergraduate and graduate studies.

My name is Juliette Sones, and I am a third-year Psychology student at UVic. I was born and raised in Vancouver, BC. I like to think that my passion for psychology stemmed from my grandmother, who loves psychoanalysis, and my mother, an elementary teacher. Whether we were talking about a strange dream or a troublemaking student, I always searched for an explanation. As I plan to complete the Honours program, I am very grateful for the opportunity to partake in the VKURA internship and discover what research is like within my field.

Liam Tarry is a fourth year Business student at the University of Victoria specializing in Entrepreneurship. Having been born in Calgary but lived in Vancouver for a majority of his life up to attending the University of Victoria, he has learned a lot about the differences in Canadian industries, especially in technology. His passion for technology in both the business world and for personal use has encouraged him to start his own business in the field of cybersecurity and information systems alike after graduation.

Olav Thyvold is a second-year Civil Engineering student from Victoria, BC. He hopes to further sustainability within civil engineering by specializing in either moisture management, passive heat management or timber construction. He first realized the potential of all three while living with his father on a small sailboat. Once he graduates he would like to use this knowledge to help his father build a ship that can face open waters. In his free time, Olav likes to practice both creative and technical drawing.