Engineering’s Co-op Student of the Year is recognized for her Winter 2020 work term contributions as a junior analyst at a Waterloo-based energy efficiency consulting firm.
Rupa Vemulapalli, a second-year computer engineering student, worked with Rushby Energy Solutions Inc. to develop an iOS app to help electric
Rupa Vemulapalli is Engineering's Co-op Student of 2020.
At the beginning of her co-op term, Vemulapalli made frequent site visits, attended customer appointments and represented Rushby Energy Solutions during the annual Energy Solutions Expo. In-person meetings and events ended when COVID-19 became a pandemic.
“The way I adapted to that is essentially learning there are other ways to maintain teamwork and collaboration in a remote setting,” she said. “Such as frequent Zoom calls, video calls, and even just touching base with teammates and employers on a personal level.”
Honorable mention for the Co-op Student of the Year award was received by Amanda Coleman, a fourth-year environmental engineering student pursuing an option in water resources engineering and a minor in international studies.
David Wheatle of mechanical and mechatronics engineering is one of two recipients of the Winter 2020 Problem Lab awards, which recognize students who provide the best analysis of an important problem relevant to the co-op employer or the employer’s industry.
Wheatle, who spent a co-op term working as a development engineer for the Regional Municipality of York, looked at the challenge of developing affordable housing solutions to accommodate a growing population.
Remarkable winners
Norah McRae, the University's associate provost of Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE), said that it is exciting to recognize the award winners for 2020 she describes as a uniquely challenging year.
“This group of remarkable winners exemplify how quality work-integrated learning experiences can help students develop the skills they need to be adaptable, resilient, and ready for their future careers,” she said.
The Co-op Student of the Year and Problem Lab Award recipients from across campus will be honoured in an online ceremony hosted by CEE on March 23. Register here to attend the event. [full story]