Meet the 2019 BC Tech Scholarship Winners!

On June 27th, we celebrated the 26th annual Technology Impact Awards (TIAs) and the incredible individuals and companies who are transforming BC’s tech sector. Nine companies and one of our community’s most prominent leaders were recognized for their positive impact and contributions to the tech industry. Also announced, were the BC Tech and Bill Tam Scholarship recipients. This year marked the 14th year BC Tech has supported high-school and post-secondary students in their goal of pursuing an education in STEAM.

This year’s scholarship recipients represent the diversity and innovative spirit that British Columbia was built upon. It’s also the second time that more women than men were awarded the scholarships—a welcome shift towards an increase in women pursuing careers in tech.

“The applications that we received from students across the province displayed such determination, thoughtfulness and intent towards advancing technology for the good of the world,” said Jill Tipping, BC Tech President and CEO. This year’s scholarship recipients are mentors and visionaries with tremendous accomplishments at such a young age⁠—I can’t wait to see what they do next!”

The 2019 BC Tech scholarship winners are:

Ember Dickson:
Ember’s experience as a teacher and mentor for a young girl living with autism directly inspired her to choose tech as a career. Bound for the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Victoria, Ember is determined to revolutionize prosthetics and increase affordable access to life-changing devices.

Rosalee Gingras:
Rosalee’s inspiration to become a biomedical engineer by studying at UVic stems from her personal experience caring for her brother, who lives with a disability. A leader in the Sea Cadet program, in her career, Rosalee is set on helping those living with disabilities with innovative technology like artificial hearts and vertebrae.

Kai Leong:
Kai has developed a remarkable smartphone body movement analysis app to accurately screen for neurodegenerative diseases and improve health outcomes for seniors. He has also worked with the Vancouver Public Library to spearhead a unique project connecting seniors and teens with technology. He intends to pursue a degree in bioinformatics and computer science.

Daphne Liu:
Daphne is a student passionate about Computer Science and an accomplished developer, working in AR/VR and winning the very first hackathon she entered with a VR app to help patients with phobias confront their fears. She is determined to create a tech sector that welcomes women through initiatives to connect female Computer Science students at UBC, with plans to go Canada-wide.

Beriwan Ravandi:
Beriwan is a computer science student creating web apps to help teens tackle cyberbullying and online harassment. As a child of Kurdish refugees, Beriwan has visited refugee camps in Iraq and led a group to teach young Kurdish girls not just how to code in Arabic, but also leadership and self-development. In her future career, Beriwan is committed to using tech as a tool to tackle extreme poverty.

Jobina Tamminga:
Jobina is a fourth-year UBC student studying Computer Science and Biology at UBC. As a proud member of the Timiskaming First Nation in Quebec, she is deeply involved with the Canadian Indigenous Science and Engineering Society, inspiring a younger generation to choose a STEM career path. Jobina is gaining experience through internships in Whitehorse and the Netherlands to set herself up for a career in biotech.

Bill Tam Scholarship recipients, who exemplify the Spirit of BC’s tech sector, determination, passion, and True Grit: Ember Dickson and Beriwan Ravandi.