The BioProducts Institute warmly welcomed its youngest intern this past summer, secondary school student, Dylan Berretta. “The summer of 2022 was undoubtedly the most exciting time of my life, of incredible personal growth and learning. Quickly assimilated into the BPI team, I was exposed to an
expansive breadth of research on biomaterials, through participation in meetings, observations in the lab and weekly technical presentations. With only Chemistry 11 under my belt, academic research details were somewhat hard to comprehend, but the main objectives of the work did not escape me, in fact, it inspired me. Through those couple of months, I was able to participate in and help organize two international conferences—the 2nd Sustainable Materials Research Summit and the 6th LignoBiotech Symposium—where I quickly learned that we are on the cusp of a transformed world of new materials, from cellulose as a textile fibre to replace synthetic fibres, betulin as an anti-inflammatory agent, or lignin as a natural glue. During the time I spent at BPI’s state-of-the-art lab, I was able to see firsthand the research done at BPI, which propelled me to continue my education in sciences.”
This past summer, we witnessed the ignition of Dylan’s scientific inquisitiveness and his personal growth both inside and outside of the lab. A gold medal finish at National Karate Championships earlier in the summer earned him a spot on the Junior Canadian National team. Following his 5th place finish at the Pan American Karate championships in Mexico, he flew down to the UK where he brought home a bronze medal for Canada at the Commonwealth Karate Championships. He is presently ranked 16th in the world by the World Karate Federation.
BPI is pleased to provide interns with a unique experiential introduction to the fascinating world of bioproducts. We hope that such exposure will motivate the next generation of scientists and engineers. Dylan concludes “It has been a summer of incredible opportunities, successes, and development. I have much to be grateful for, but above all else is my remarkable BPI experience, where newfound knowledge and understanding have unveiled interesting opportunities and pursuits. Thank you BPI!”
