Congratulations to Miranda Louwerse, this year’s recipient of the Faculty of Science Dean’s Medal.
Miranda is an outstanding student in Chemistry and Mathematics. She not only met the required criteria for the Dean’s medal, she surpassed it! She is a true leader and ambassador not only of the Faculty of Science but the University community as a whole.
Miranda served as an executive for the Math Club for the past 2 years, first as the vice-president and then as president. She has represented UFV in the prestigious PUTNAM competitions for the last 4 years, and has also tutored students in physics, chemistry, math, and stats at the high school and university levels.
The education I have received at UFV in chemistry, math, stats, physics, and biology has well prepared me to study at a cross-section of these disciplines. My career plans involve continuing research in the physical sciences, either as a university professor or in industry.
Research has been a big part of her education at UFV. Her first research opportunity was was working with Dr. Cory Beshara studying organic synthesis.
It was an excellent introduction to what research is and played a big part in my eventual decision to attend graduate school. While the experimental work was a lot of fun, my interests have since shifted towards physical chemistry.”
She has spent the last 3 years doing computational chemistry in Dr. Noham Weinberg‘s Molecular Modelling Lab with an NSERC USRA in each of those 3 years, and has already published a peer reviewed manuscript with another one to be submitted soon.
She heads for graduate school at Simon Fraser University with a prestigious NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship worth $17,500.
Miranda, we wish you continued success!
