The Green Dream program has been very exciting to be a part of and there’s so much to say about what’s going on in the industry that I will have to use this final post to introduce myself, summarize my placement, and provide my final takeaways – all at once.
Some information about me:
I am going into my fourth and final year of Lakehead University’s Chemical Engineering program. Before I enrolled at Lakehead, a professor explained Chemical Engineering to me as all of the fun and interesting parts of chemistry, thermodynamics and physics made immediately applicable to real life phenomena. In short: science in real life, and science to help promote healthy industries, communities and economies. I am passionate about my program, excited for next year’s graduation and looking forward to a career filled with problem solving and applicable science.
My placement with Resolute:
I cannot overstate how impressed I have been with my experience at Resolute Forest Products in Thunder Bay, Ontario. I spent the first month of my placement in awe at the size of the equipment and the ease with which so many moving parts operate together. I remember being intimidated by the vastness of the mill and worried that I’d eventually be expected to know my way around. After the first month, I could confidently find my way through most parts of the kraft mill and had retained enough about the process chemistry I was able to give tours to visiting personnel. At the same time, I had also started working on improvement projects for many different team members – lots of which I was able to start from scratch and see to an end. I’ve learned to troubleshoot, analyze, adjust and innovate for a variety of different situations. In terms of work environment, the Utilities team members have been pivotal in making me feel able, intelligent and capable in all aspects of my responsibilities. I have learned as much from their life advice as I have from their technical experience. Throughout it all, I have been continually impressed by the commitment to safety and welcoming attitudes of all employees at the mill. Resolute: thank you so much for having me.
Some highlights:
The mill was actually connected to my neighborhood with enough separated bike lane that I sometimes opted to ride my bike to work. The whole route is about 12 km from the University and I would typically run into various wildlife along the way. (Note the deer saying Good Morning!)
This photo was taken on my first day! The mill is located beside the beautiful Kaministiquia River and Mount McKay. The views are particularly amazing in the morning or when it is raining.
Resolute also has its own Fitness Centre! Great for a lunchtime workout or a little midday yoga.
I definitely can’t emphasize this one enough but the biggest highlight was all of the equipment. These are the condensers – they are essentially a giant waterfall. They are absolutely my favourite piece of equipment! Take a look at my video on mill highlights to see some more really cool equipment and phenomena.
The Green Dream program:
The Green Dream program has turned out to be everything I could have hoped for and more. My passion for science revolves around applicability to real life (which is why I’ve taken such an interest to the kraft process chemistry), but also in making science accessible. My first piece of content for this program was a rough outline of the process chemistry involved with making pulp. Before I started working at Resolute I didn’t know anything about making pulp. The process is large and can seem intimidating at first, but (like anything) becomes much easier to understand when it is broken down into smaller pieces. Science and Industry as a whole can seem intimidating at first, but this program does a great job of showcasing the industry broken down into smaller pieces. Each of the Green Dream interns showcasing their unique experience gives the general public a vague idea of what the industry is actually like – making it seem more relatable and more easily accessible. Thank you to the FPAC for allowing me to share my perspective and showing that (even as a student at the bottom) the industry isn’t scary and intimidating… it’s a dream.
