At TRU I have collaborated on various research projects. One of my favourite projects was titled “Using compost to reduce cardboard waste and exploring the relationships microbes play”. For this project myself and my supervisor partnered with the City of Kamloops in hoped to create a more sustainable way of using cardboard waste. The solution was to incorporate it in household composting bins as a carbon additive as well as a way to help with moister and smell control for households.
My roles for this project was to determine the impact cardboard and its potentially toxic inks and dyes have on microbial diversity. Before, the city wanted to advertise cardboard as a material that can be put in your compost bin, they first wanted to ensure there were no negative effects on the bacteria present in compost that are responsible for breakdown down the food waste and other materials.
I was fortunate enough to be able to share my results of this project at various events to a wide range of people. I presented posters at four conferences, two local TRU conferences (TRU Undergraduate Research Conference and SUPER) and two Canadian conferences (Pacific Ecology and Evolution Conference, and Canadian Society of Microbiology Conference). In addition I also gave a short 3 minutes overview of my research at the TRU In a Nutshell competition.
Being able to share in explain my work is a huge part of research. I was able to get great feedback from others, as well I have able to share my results with the people it was impacting. Being able to engage with people at TRU living in Kamloops, we were able to reach the audience of people who’s lives would be affected but the research on tryong to create a more sustainable way to re-use our waste.
In A Nutshell – 3 minute presentation
PEEC – Bamfield 2025
CSM – Montreal 2025
TRU Undergraduate Research Conference, SUPER – 2025
