Joshua Gonzalez Ramirez

​I am a 4th-year Faculty of Science student pursuing a biochemistry major. Having the opportunity to work at the Beck lab as my first co-op work placement has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my undergraduate degree. I have been very grateful to have become an S24 NSERC USRA research assistant, conducting chemical, biological, and physical water quality analysis related to water disinfection and reuse to improve water treatment processes. Not only do I have the opportunity to employ molecular biology techniques as part of my day-to-day responsibilities, but I have also been exposed to what a career in research looks like, which has often involved establishing new SOPs, working on a multiple of small and large projects at the same time, maintaining a set of accurate and detailed experimental observations, and offering essential support for technical report writing required for scientific publication. Most of my research interests lie at the confluence of environmental science and pathology, where I hope to merge my passion for laboratory work and the employment of chemical and molecular biology techniques into a fulfilling career.