CONESTOGA COLLEGE
Biotechnology research symposium celebrates student research and awards

Conestoga welcomed about 175 people to the 13th annual Biotechnology Research Symposium and Awards Ceremony held April 3 at the Kitchener - Doon campus.

Students, family, friends and industry representatives joined the annual celebration of the Biotechnology Technician program and the recipients of awards honouring achievements of the students.  

"This event is a great celebration of our students' hard work and achievements and a great opportunity to put a spotlight on the Conestoga Biotechnology Technician program," said professor Heather Bauman. 

"We were thrilled by the success of the event, including excellent research presentations from our students, a wonderful keynote talk, a chance to celebrate our award winners and a successful job fair with many local companies present to promote themselves to our soon-to-be graduates."

The keynote speaker was Mike Dorrington from Ontario Genomics, his talk titled "Nature's Original Platform Technology: How we can use DNA to change the world, one base pair at a time."

Research relevant to the life sciences field was presented by 20 student groups, and students also had the opportunity to connect with companies including Nicoya, Semex, SiREM, Ceva Animal Health and Syngenta.

The Cowan Foundation was also acknowledged for its ongoing investment in the program, including the award-winning Cowan Centre for Medical Sciences and Biotechnology.

Award recipients:

• First-Year Student Leadership Award - Kato Sagara Cross
• Ontario Agri-Food Technologies Student Leadership Award, Year 2 - Laila Praxedes de Jesus
• Jamie Lumsden Memorial Award - Chris Braniff
• Syngenta Canada Inc. Exceptional Laboratory Technician Award - Samantha Taylor
• Biotechnology Technician Program Contribution Awards - Laila Praxedes de Jesus, Rami (Harin) Kim, Samantha Taylor and Jade Hofer
• Cowan Biotechnology Scholarships - Divine (Oritsesegbemi) Edema, Adrian Skuce and Roshni Roshni
• The Commitment Award (Karl Fellbaum Alumni of Distinction Award) - Samantha Lalla
• The Nykole Crevits Beyond Biotechnology Award - Irelyn Fennell
• Research and Teamwork Award - Chhavi Karala, Julia Radic, Kayla Johnson and Roshan Baskota
• Biotechnology Industry Partnership Award - Semex.

Praxedes de Jesus is very pleased with the recognition, including the award for leadership that inspired her to continue honing that skill. "Leadership is challenging and these awards bring a good feeling of accomplishment, although I know I still have a long way to go."

The event was also an opportunity for students like Praxedes de Jesus to share their research.

"After eight months of dedication to our research projects, we had the opportunity to present to very special guests and listen and learn from the other presentations. It was a rich event because it highlighted the countless innovations brought about by biotechnology."

Taylor feels honoured that her instructors recognized her "curiosity and dedication in the lab" to nominate and select her for two awards. Her interest in laboratory work was sparked by completing an undergraduate degree in biomedical science, which left her eager for hands-on laboratory experience.

"What I found at Conestoga was the world of biotechnology with a hard focus on gaining laboratory skills and I fell in love. My professors and lab technicians created an environment where I could always be curious in the lab, and I found that I was always excited to take part in each lab and understand how each technique learnt is important to the biotechnology field," Taylor said. "I'm grateful to the Biotechnology Technician program and know that what I learned here will help me make an impact on the world."

The two-year Biotechnology Technician program provides students with the laboratory skills, technical knowledge, fundamental understanding and employability skills for careers in biotechnology and life science industries. Students will experience an integrated curriculum and applied learning environment that focuses on scenarios relevant to current innovations. Training includes practical and technical instruction in several areas including biology, biochemistry, microbiology, analytical chemistry, cell culture, molecular biology and computer applications.  

Graduates can pursue a Bachelor of Applied Biotechnology or Bachelor of Environmental Public Health through the advanced standing pathway after completing this diploma offered by the School of Health & Life Sciences.