Environmental Science student receives bursary in recognition of research work

Bianca Zlotea, who is in her last semester at Dawson, received a BIRC bursary valued at $3,500 for her research internship with Dawson’s Adaptech Research Network.

The Communications Office interviewed her about this achievement.

What program and profile are you in at Dawson? What activities, clubs, athletics, research projects are you involved in?

Bianca: I’m in the environmental science program, a profile in the sciences that not many know about. Out of high school, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study. I chose Environmental Science because I love Nature and I wanted to learn how to best protect it. However, I’ve come to realize that my real interest lies in psychology. I’ve always been fascinated by the intricacies of the brain, and I’d like to do research in the discipline. I joined Dawson’s Adaptech Research Network in my second semester, out of interest to learn about the world of research and its implications.

Tell me all about your research project. How did you become interested in research? What are you learning? What is the most interesting aspect?

Bianca: I’ve been working alongside the team on a study on parasomnias, which are abnormal sleep disorders, in the student population. I’ve been learning a lot about how research is conducted, how data is collected and analyzed, how reports are written and how to present findings to larger audiences. The most exciting part, in my opinion, is analyzing the data and finding patterns.

What does this bursary mean for you?

Bianca: It’s an incredible honour and I am extremely grateful for it! A bursary opens the doors to so many possibilities for the future. When you have a goal in mind, or aspire to become something, such opportunities really encourage you to keep going forward.

What are your future education and career plans? Has the research experience influenced these plans?

Bianca: I will be starting university in the fall in the psychology program. I’d like to do research in the future, most likely in a field in which brain science and psychology overlap. I have been really enjoying my experience at Adaptech and it has really encouraged me to continue down this path.

What have you enjoyed most about your Dawson experience?

Bianca: Dawson is great in that it offers students so many opportunities to do well in school. There are many tutoring services available, like peer-tutoring and tutorial rooms. If you struggle with time management and staying organized, the Academic Skills Centre has got you covered. In my experience, teachers have always been very accessible during office hours. And if you struggle with a disability, the SAAC is there to help you. All the resources are there for us to succeed and I just love that.