Co-op Work Term 1 Reflection | Junior Research Fellow, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada

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Editing / Interpersonal Communication / Microsoft Office Suite / Policy Analysis / Research / Teamwork / Writing

A short reflection on some of my top achievements and the things I learned while working as a co-op Junior Research Fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, a Vancouver-based think tank

Experience Details

POSITION: Junior Research Fellow, Digital Asia

WORK PLACEMENT: Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APFC)

INDUSTRY: Thinktanks/Policy/Research

 

Key Achievements

  • Co-authored a major project on COVID-19 public health technology in Asia for the Public Health Agency of Canada, published here
  • Led the research, analysis, and writing of 9 APEC economy profiles for an ongoing report on the state of AI in the 21 APEC members, published here
  • Published an independent case study on 5G geopolitics in the Philippines, published here
  • Drafted an internal report on digitalization in Southeast Asia (SEA) examining partnerships between Singapore, South Korea, and Japan with SEA as a region in promoting the development of Industry 4.0 technologies.
  • Created two 300-word news articles for Asia Watch, APFC's biweekly intelligence news service with a readership of approximately 3,750 people
  • March 4, 2022 Update: For my work at APFC I am privileged to have been awarded Honourable Mention for the 2021 UBC Arts Co-op Student of the Year Award, having been nominated by my managers. The annual award recognizes outstanding achievement in all aspects of the UBC Arts Co-op student’s performance, including academic achievement, job achievement/employer evaluation, personal statement, contribution to co-operative education, and contribution to extra-curricular activities. Below is an excerpt from the award announcement:

Supervisor Feedback

Project Manager Daniela Rodriguez praised Sofia’s work in this role, stating that she demonstrated great work ethic, quality of research and writing, and was “incredibly responsive to asks from supervisors and revisions to her work, which made her a pleasure to work with.” Daniela also mentioned that Junior Research Scholars are usually postgraduate students, and Sofia “performed just as well or better than some students in this position. According to Daniela, Sofia’s responsiveness, professional manner, and enthusiasm resulted in her work being increasingly featured in publications for professional and academic audiences.

 

Experience Reflection

I transitioned into this summer co-op work term in May 2021 after having provided research support at APFC on a part-time basis from February to April 2021. Working full-time at APFC, I was given more opportunity to take a more direct role in major projects by doing sections of the analysis and writing myself. I also took the initiative to conduct my own independent research in addition to my team projects. As a member of the Digital Asia team, I was exposed to the emerging and exciting space of Industry 4.0 technology policy and geopolitics. From learning the nuances of digital policy to developing my writing style from academia to think tank, my work term at APFC contained many steep learning curves. But in the end I greatly refined my writing and policy analysis skills, and discovered an area of international affairs that I am now excited to continue pursuing both academically and professionally. Ultimately, my experience at APF has inspired me to pursue future studies and a career at the intersection of international policy, technology, and business.

 

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