The BC Tech Scholarship recognizes students at the secondary and post-secondary level who represent the future of our province and the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs. Launched in 2005, the BC Technology Scholarship Fund has supported more than seventy young men and women looking to build long and lasting careers in the BC tech industry.

This year’s scholarship recipients were announced on Tuesday, June 7th, during the 2016 Technology Impact Awards. The awards were presented by Phil Bates, Executive Vice President, Business Transformation and Operations at TELUS, founding sponsor of the BC Technology Scholarship Fund.

This year there were two awards valued at $5,000 presented to students currently enrolled in post-secondary programs; and six $1,000 awards presented to students finishing high school and enrolled in BC-based post-secondary institutions for fall 2016.

The high school recipients are:

Abdelwahab-Bebo Elhosary

Bebo has a passion for coding, computer programming, and entrepreneurship. He has co-founded two companies, as well as become an executive member of his school club “Coditek”, which aims to enlighten kids about the importance and possibilities available through programming. In addition to being a strong academic student with a passion for technology, Bebo is actively involved in his community as a volunteer with St. John Ambulance and the Islamic Culture Centre in Port Coquitlam. Bebo plans to continue his education at the University of British Columbia in the Computer Science program.

Vivien Hui

From a young age, Vivien has had a strong love for science and technology, having competed in numerous science fairs in addition to being a Science Fair Mentor and Administrator. She will be studying at the University of British Columbia in the fall, with plans to specialize in Mechanical Engineering. Vivien is interested in space exploration, and plans to use her skills toward furthering space travel and developing new equipment for use both in space and here on Earth.

Ken Lin

Ken Lin is an exceptional academic student, achieving a consistent average of 96% throughout high school, and will continue his education by attending the University of British Columbia in the fall. Ken will be joining the Faculty of Applied Sciences with an interest in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Ken is a lead instructor with Byte Camp, where he teaches elementary school students about computer programming, 3D modeling, and video editing. Ken’s ultimate goal is to play a pivotal role in a game-changing company that is revolutionizing technology.

Steven Richter

Steven is deeply passionate about science and robotics, as evidenced by the fact that he was named Team Captain of Moscrop Robotics 1700A, Build Team Captain in the UBC Physics Olympics build competition, and VEX Robotics Tournament Champion. Steven’s interest in robotics and mechanics has led him to pursue a dual degree in Mechatronics Systems Engineering and Business Administration through the Simon Fraser University Faculty of Applied Science and Beedie School of Business. Steven’s ultimate goal is to use his skills in mechanics and robotics to contribute to the exploration of space.

Sterling Smith

Sterling’s interest for technology and artificial intelligence focuses on how far the limits can be pushed, and the impact it has on society. In addition to his strong determination academically, pushing himself from being a C student to having an A average, Sterling has been actively involved in his community, volunteering with school clubs such as the French Club and Target Alpha Club, as well as volunteering at the Festival du Bois. Sterling will be attending Simon Fraser University in the fall, studying in the Faculty of Applied Sciences with a concentration in Computer Engineering.

Ryan Wright

Ryan is a strong student who has consistently achieved impressive academic scores and awards. He will be attending the University of British Columbia – Okanagan in the fall, where he will study Engineering. Ryan wants to use his education to develop innovative solutions for individuals who struggle with mobility and other disabilities, making them cost-effective and more easily available to those in need to help improve their quality of life.

The post-secondary recipients are:

Maryam Mobini

Maryam is pursuing a Master of Arts degree at Simon Fraser University’s School of Interactive Arts & Technology. In a collaborative research project, she has developed an immersive auditory experience to help reduce pain and anxiety in chronic pain patients. Maryam’s goal is to fine-tune her processes and create a commercially viable product that will be available for patients by the end of 2016. This product will help its users to overcome the negative thoughts that hold chronic pain sufferers back in their everyday lives.

Eva Yu

Eva is a student at the British Columbia Institute of Technology, working towards completing the Computer Systems Technology program. She is actively involved in the BCIT Computing community as a member of “Coding for All”, which focuses on creating a network for women in computing. She is also a member of the planning committee for the annual Canadian Undergraduate Computer Science Conference. Eva hopes to use her education to develop ways in which technology can be used to aid in mitigating global disparity.

Congratulations to all of the recipients! We wish them continued success in their academic careers and look forward to seeing the ways in which they will build and shape BC’s tech industry in the future.

Applications for the BC Technology Scholarship Fund will open in February 2017.