Work Learn Profile: Jaylin Melnichuk, Academic Assistant

1. What is your position title?

Academic Assistant

2. What did you work on in this role?

It was great to have a hand in several different projects! Research on sustainable food systems degree development for UBC was my initial project. This included talking with other universities across North America with similar programs, and from that I learned more about CSFS/UBC Farm’s position as a leader in this field. I also worked on organizing the CSFS’s research symposium, took on organizing and leading academic and professional level Farm tours, and helped support some of our other programs, such as Feeding Growth. I also continued to volunteer with and support the xʷc̓ic̓əsəm garden, where I was an intern previously!

3. What did you learn in this position?

How to be an educator and communicate! Giving tours to all sorts of groups, from international students, to UBC classes, to Korean blueberry farmers… means that you learn more than one way to communicate a message or idea, and get people interested in the UBC Farm’s work.

4. Why does this work matter?

All of the CSFS/UBC Farm’s initiatives, in some way, push people to connect with their food system. This is when people realize that we are all connected through food! There is a real community-mindedness that happens when people come to this realization and I believe we will find strength in this in our collective future.

5. What would you tell a new student taking on this role? Or what do you wish you had known?

Don’t be afraid to be a little nosy 🙂 There are so many projects happening at the CSFS/UBC Farm at any given time, so catching someone you’ve seen around to say “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” is really worthwhile! Also, don’t be afraid of the Farm server.

6. What should people know about the UBC Farm that they probably don’t know?

How much of what you see on the Farm are research and student projects. One example – the heritage apple orchard (or ‘apple museum’) was created by an undergraduate student, and you can find her entire research report online!

7. What’s your favourite thing to do at the UBC Farm?

Getting some bright-eyed students fired up about food systems and asking questions! Smelling flowers, smiling at children, eating Friday lunch.

8. What other roles have you held at CSFS at the UBC Farm?

In 2015 I was an intern at xʷc̓ic̓əsəm – Indigenous Health, Research and Education garden.