21 Nov 2019
Esmee Zinkan is a 2019 Canada Student Merit Award winner. She achieved this award for obtaining the highest standing of her class in the fourth and final year of her degree. Here is a brief biography of the winner.
I am currently finishing my undergraduate degree in Chemistry for the Medical Sciences at the University of Victoria. This programme has given me the opportunity to focus on chemistry, while exploring other subjects and developing interdisciplinary perspectives. I have particularly enjoyed taking courses in biological anthropology and human physiology.
I have always strived for academic excellence. In 2015, I received a Governor General’s Academic Metal (Bronze) for achieving the highest grade point average at my secondary school. Over the past four years, I have been honoured to receive several awards from the University of Victoria, including the Excellence Scholarship, President’s Scholarship, and Gerry Poulton Scholarship.
I have a wide range of interests relating to chemistry and the general sciences, and my post-graduate plans are undecided. I am interested in science communication and I am considering a career in medical illustration. This may be an opportunity for me to blend my passion for art and education with my scientific knowledge. Alternatively, I may pursue a career in teaching, since I have enjoyed working as a chemistry tutor. Simplification of textbook diagrams and three-dimensional visualization of scientific models is one of my strengths as a student, and I would like to share this skill with others.
On a different note, I am interested in food chemistry and water management. A project I did last semester regarding pesticides sparked my curiosity about the agriculture and human health industry. I appreciate the scope of this field and think that everything from the environmental challenges of producing food to the complexity of nutrition is fascinating.
I was honoured to be selected for the SCI Canada Student Merit Award and, whatever path I take in the future, I am looking forward to contributing to the chemistry community.
Esmee Zinkan
University of Victoria
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