GNS: PCHS Student Excels in WISEST Program

Parkland Composite High School is proud to share Pacer Deborah Yun’s accomplishments in the WISEST (Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science and Technology) Summer Research Program in July and August 2022.

This is a paid STEM-based internship opportunity that is held at the University of Alberta for Grade 11 students nationwide. This program works to encourage and increase the placement of underrepresented students in the fields of science, math, and technology. Deborah was fortunate enough to be one of only 47 student researchers selected from across Canada to participate in this unique experience.

Deborah worked in the Psychology Department with the Animal Cognition Research Group. She studied under Dr. Lauren Guillette, directly supervised by Dr. Ben Whittaker, to look into the cognitive abilities of zebra finches (a bird species originating from Australia), by analyzing their "animal architecture" - in this case, their nests! At the end of the 6 week internship period, all of the student researchers who studied alongside their designated research labs presented their knowledge and projects. Deborah says, “It was a truly inspiring and motivating experience, which I would like to help spread awareness of so that more students with similar interests know about this program.”

In school, Deborah loves biology, a course directly related to her ultimate goal of continuing her studies and earning a medical degree. She also enjoys being physically active, playing sports like volleyball and tennis, and spending time in the gym.

We are so proud of you, Deborah, and we can’t wait to see you continue to achieve your goals!