Composting new possibilities in Thailand
In rural Thailand, Timea Siket is learning that meaningful research can start with community needs, hands-on problem-solving and the freedom to innovate.
Timea Siket, a third-year Biochemistry student, has explored biotechnology, food product development and community-based waste management across three distinctly different co-op work terms. Her latest experience at Suranaree University of Technology is challenging her to apply her scientific background in an unfamiliar culture while becoming a more independent and adaptable researcher.
Timea’s co-op journey
Image Analysis Scientist Intern, Standard BioTools, Markham, ON
During her first work term, Timea supported customers using specialized instruments to analyze cells. She prepared and processed tissue and cell samples, operated the instruments and completed preliminary data analysis to help customers interpret their results. The customer-facing role introduced her to the biotechnology industry while giving her hands-on experience with scientific equipment and biological samples.
Research and Development Co-op, Ozery Family Bakery, Vaughan, ON
Timea joined the research and development team at Ozery Family Bakery for her second work term. She helped develop a new gluten-free muffin product by testing different ingredients, quantities and production parameters and evaluating how each adjustment affected the final result. She also supported trials for other products and assisted on the production floor, where she helped ensure procedures were followed during larger-scale testing.
Research Assistant, Waste Management, Suranaree University of Technology, Khlong Phai, Thailand
For her third co-op term, Timea travelled to Thailand through an international exchange partnership between University of Waterloo and Suranaree University of Technology (SUT). Working from a rural government compound operated by SUT, she is helping develop a waste-management solution for the surrounding community. Her responsibilities include interviewing local market vendors, researching composting methods, evaluating parameters of a small composting machine and preparing a proposal for the local municipality.
Q&A with Timea
What inspired you to pursue an international co-op in Thailand?
“When I saw the opportunity on WaterlooWorks, I thought it sounded interesting, but I did not actually expect to get it. I assumed an international position would be much more competitive.”
“During reading week, I received a call asking if I was interested in the job. I said yes. An opportunity to live in a completely different country with many of the expenses covered is not something that comes around often, so I wanted to take the chance and experience an entirely new culture.”
What does your waste management project involve?
“My supervisor was particularly interested in my experience with University of Waterloo Campus Compost. I have been involved with the club for a couple of years and have helped maintain a compost bin on campus."
"In Thailand, I am applying that experience to a much larger question: how could composting become part of a practical waste-management solution for the local market and community?”
“Another Waterloo co-op student and I prepared for interviews and worked with a local officer who helped us speak with vendors at the market. The interviews gave us valuable information about the community’s current waste practices and needs."
"It has been very different from the laboratory research I was familiar with because it includes more social and community-based research, but that has also made the project interesting.”
How did you approach scientific testing without the equipment or instructions you were used to?
“I was given a small composting machine and asked to measure how factors such as temperature, moisture and pH changed before and after the composting process. My supervisors could tell me what information they wanted, but not necessarily how to collect it.”
“The laboratory was designed for plant tissue research and only had basic equipment, including no moisture analyzer. I had to research alternative methods and determine what I could do with the equipment available. For the moisture test, I dried the compost sample in an oven and calculated its moisture content by comparing its weight before and after the water evaporated.”
“At school, there is usually a teaching assistant or professor nearby who can catch a mistake. Here, no one was watching each step or telling me whether I was doing something incorrectly. That was stressful at first, but it pushed me to think independently, troubleshoot the process and trust the research I had done.”
What was it like adjusting to life in Thailand?
“When I arrived at Suranaree University of Technology, I was surprised by the size of the campus. It is so large that students need to drive between buildings. A group of student buddies showed me around, which helped me feel more comfortable while everything was still unfamiliar.”
“The government compound where I work is about an hour from the main university and is located in a rural area. During my first weekend, I was mostly on my own, so I decided to explore the nearby town even though I did not speak any Thai. Ordering food involved a lot of guessing, but experiences like that forced me to become more comfortable navigating unfamiliar situations.”
“Since then, I have learned some Thai and have also travelled independently to Bangkok, with plans to visit Chiang Mai. Each new experience has made the country feel a little more familiar and has helped me become more confident on my own.”
How has Thailand’s workplace culture changed your perspective?
“In Canada, I feel like work culture can be much more serious. In Thailand, I have started realizing that not every task needs to feel as high-pressure as I initially put it. I still care about producing good work, but I am learning that making a mistake or not having a perfect answer does not mean the entire project has failed.”
“I have been asked to present our proposed waste-management solution to the municipality. That initially sounded intimidating because I do not have one perfect solution to offer. However, I know the presentation will be a conversation and an opportunity to share what we have learned. Working here has helped me become more comfortable contributing ideas while they are still developing.”
What has been the most challenging part of the experience?
“My supervisors lead many of the initiatives around the centre and the main campus, so they are often in meetings or working elsewhere. It can be difficult to receive the same amount of direction and feedback that I was accustomed to during my jobs in Canada. There have been moments when it was hard to stay motivated because I was not always sure whether I was approaching the work correctly.”
“I have learned to find other ways to remain involved. When my main project is waiting on feedback, I can volunteer with other teams around the compound. One day, I helped process tea leaves, which had nothing to do with my assigned research but gave me another opportunity to learn.”
“The experience has required me to take greater ownership of my time. Instead of waiting for someone to assign my next task, I have become more proactive about asking where I can help and finding new ways to contribute.”
How have your co-op terms changed what you thought you could do with a Biochemistry degree?
“My work term at Ozery Family Bakery was the first experience that showed me biochemistry could lead somewhere beyond health care or a traditional laboratory. Food product development still involved experimentation, testing and understanding how different variables affected a result, but it applied those skills in a completely different industry.”
“My current role has expanded that perspective even further. Waste management may not appear directly connected to my degree, but I still use scientific thinking when I design tests, evaluate composting conditions and solve problems with limited equipment.”
“At the same time, I am developing experience with interviews, community research and presenting recommendations. My co-op terms have shown me that the skills from my degree can be applied in more ways than I initially realized, and I want to continue using my remaining work terms to explore fields I have not experienced before.”
If you could describe your co-op experience in one word, what would it be and why?
“Adaptable.”
“Every one of my work terms has placed me in a completely different environment, from analyzing cells at a biotechnology company to developing baked products and researching waste management in Thailand. Each role has challenged me to learn unfamiliar processes, work with different people and find new ways to apply my scientific background.”
“Because none of my experiences have looked exactly the same, I’ve had to become comfortable with not always knowing what to expect. I’ve learned how to step into a new environment, ask questions and figure things out as I go."
"Being adaptable has allowed me to make the most of each opportunity, even when the work was completely different from anything I had done before.”
What’s next?
“I am looking forward to my upcoming eight-month co-op because I hope the longer term will allow me to become involved in a larger and more detailed project. I do not know where I will be working yet, but I am excited to see what another new field could teach me.”
“I am also looking forward to completing my fourth-year thesis. It will give me a better understanding of what graduate school and longer-term academic research might be like. I currently plan to pursue graduate studies, and then I will figure out where I want to go from there.”