During their short time at UBC IT, our Co-op student employees inject fresh perspectives and energy into our teams while supporting our projects and daily operations. This week we are saying goodbye to Emilyn Sim, our UBC IT Communications Web Specialist Co-op student. Over the past 8 months, Emilyn has supported our UBC IT Communications and Change Management teams with her web expertise, content contributions, and overall cheery demeanor.
A cross-section of communications and technology
Emilyn joined the UBC IT Communications team in January 2024 for an 8-month Co-op term. Throughout this brief time, her combined background in communications and computer science proved to be an invaluable asset for many team functions including content curation, storytelling, and web updates. Most notably, Emilyn has played an integral role in improving internal practices by leveraging automation and code to create custom solutions. When asked about her proudest accomplishment during her time on the team, she mentioned the internal automation tool she developed, describing it as “both a valuable learning experience and a meaningful contribution to my team.”. Her automation solution curates a shortlist of recent news articles on the topic of AI from across UBC and external sources and focuses on content published within the last four months. By automating the content curation process, the tool has significantly streamlined and reduced the workload involved in maintaining the team’s generative AI website and monthly e-newsletter.
Another notable project that Emilyn spearheaded was the development of a web-based display system that dynamically pulls live, relevant information from APIs and RSS feeds to automate a stream of digital display content. The system provides real-time updates for our internal digital displays found in the LSK lunchroom and 2nd floor IT workspaces with information about upcoming transit times, current weather conditions, and scheduled maintenance for enterprise services. “It’s rewarding to know that this tool will continue to assist UBC IT staff by keeping them informed during their daily routines,” she commented.
A valuable Co-op experience
When asked about her time at UBC IT, Emilyn responded that she “... had the privilege of working within an encouraging team which empowered [her] to tackle new and exciting challenges with confidence.” From her perspective, the most educational aspects of her term were the insights she gained on the interconnectivity between communications and technology. Over the past eight months, she exemplified this by leveraging technology to enhance communication strategies to create more impactful and efficient messaging. As for what she enjoyed the most, she pointed toward the encouraging environment and day-to-day activities. In her own words: “I can tell you firsthand that the water cooler jokes coming from the UBC IT Communications team are as skillfully crafted as their professional communications.”
Her contributions will be missed around the water cooler and beyond as she ends her Co-op term this month to complete her second degree in Computer Science, after completing her BA in Communications at SFU in 2021.
