Co-op student earns award for on-campus work term

An undergraduate who stayed close to home for the spring term is the Co-op Student of the Year for the Faculty of Engineering in 2021.

Sarah Odinotski, who is studying nanotechnology engineering, worked in-person and on-campus with Mahla Poudineh, a professor of electrical and computer engineering, to develop a hydrogel-based microneedle biosensor for pH measurement.

Sarah Odinotski is the 2021 co-op student of the year for Waterloo Engineering.

Odinotski optimized the microneedle fabrication process to demonstrate that her sensor can measure the clinically relevant pH ranges.

“The goal of our research was to incorporate this conductive polymer inside because it would allow us to sense something going on inside your body in a minimally invasive manner,” she said.

Winners for all six faculties named today by Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) at the University of Waterloo are women.

“It goes without saying the quality of our co-op program is thanks to our fantastic students,” said Ross Johnston, executive director of CEE.

Go to Six women recognized as 2021 University of Waterloo Co-op Students of the Year for a campus-wide story on the 2021 co-op winners.