By Amarpreet Grewal
Paul Kim, currently a summer student in Dr. Hancock’s Lab, is one of the 10 recipients who have received the $5 000 3M National Student Fellowship. The Fellowship is given to students across Canada who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in their lives.

Paul with supervisors Cesar and Sarah

Students who receive this award have a vision of quality education that enhances their academic experience and beyond, and Paul has done just that. Congratulations Paul for winning this highly competitive award!

Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education described his accomplishments on their website:

“As a young boy, Paul overheard a conversation about barriers to education in third world countries which sparked his passion for philanthropy. In his youth, he instigated a program to send textbooks to disadvantaged schools in Zimbabwe. By working with Students Offering Support, he has been able to help students on campus while supporting educational infrastructure development in impoverished Latin American communities.

Paul is a leader who seeks solutions to problems in today’s world. When he noticed inefficiencies in the functioning of charities across Canada, he worked with colleagues to devise a new model of giving: one that leverages the power of regular individuals who want to make extraordinary change by bringing the power of market investing into the charitable sphere. This has culminated in a non-profit organization named GivGro which aims to redefine sustainable giving.”

Paul is currently pursuing a degree in Biochemistry at the University of Victoria, and is passionate about science and medicine.  He has been a summer student at the CBR for two consecutive years under the supervision of Sarah Mansour, a senior graduate students in Dr. Hancock lab. There, Paul is working on immunomodulatory peptides to target antibiotic-resistant biofilm infections.