Medical physics grad awarded TMU Gold Medal for leadership and extracurricular involvement
Helen Melino embodies what it means to make the most of your university experience. This spring, she crossed the stage at convocation and was honoured with the TMU Gold Medal for her dedication to her studies and for being highly involved in the student community throughout her undergraduate career.
Not only did Melino rank among the top 1% of her peers in the medical physics program, she left a lasting impact through her extracurricular involvement. Her contributions include: co-founding and becoming an executive committee member for the Women in Physics Student Group, co-chairing TMU's first Canadian Undergraduate Physics Conference, being an active member of the Medical Physics Course Union, and leading Dance Pak as the captain for the 2022-23 team. Her leadership and extracurricular involvement showcase her dedication to empowering others and contributing to an engaged community at TMU.
Read what Melino has to say about this extraordinary milestone, her experience at TMU, her advice to students, and her plans for the future.
What does receiving the gold medal mean to you?
Receiving the gold medal is an accomplishment not just for me but for everyone who has helped and supported me throughout my undergrad; friends who supported me through coursework, my teammates who persevered through COVID restrictions, and my family who encouraged me to try my best in everything I do. Being recognized for my commitment to the TMU community and my academic achievements shows me how far I’ve come and how much I am able to accomplish - first-year me would never have believed I would be where I am now.
The community I have been able to build for myself at TMU is truly special, and I am so grateful for all the experiences I have had during my undergrad. As I reflect on the past four years, I am glad that I stepped out of my comfort zone to pursue activities I love, and I am honoured to have encountered so many talented and smart individuals.
What has been your proudest accomplishment at TMU?
One of my proudest accomplishments at TMU was submitting a successful bid to host the 57th Canadian Undergraduate Physics Conference (CUPC 2021) at TMU for the first time in history and being able to co-chair this conference. We hosted the four-day event virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and because there weren’t as many opportunities for undergraduate physicists across the country to network, we wanted to give our delegates an “in-person feeling” at this event. A huge success of the conference was our delegate swag bags that we shipped across the country - it was awesome to receive photos of the delegates enjoying their gifts!
With the goal of increasing equity, inclusivity and diversity in the field, we invited high schools from across the country to nominate students to attend our conference. In addition, we added a science communication competition for students to practice communicating complex topics to high school students, and an undergraduate mentorship panel for high school and lower-year undergraduate students to seek advice from upper-year physicists. After working on this event for almost a year (securing sponsorships, managing our online presence, organizing guest speakers, and more), I am so proud of everything our team accomplished, despite the obstacles we had to overcome. Our perseverance brought us so much success - I could not have asked for a better outcome.
What advice do you have for current or future students?
There are so many things I could say to answer this, but the best advice I could give is to know your strengths and play to them. I would also say to get involved as much as you are able! I am so grateful to have met so many people from different levels of study and programs throughout my undergrad, which was only possible through the community activities I pursued. Even if it’s out of your comfort zone, build your network whenever and wherever you can; your future self will thank you.
Also, definitely apply for the GO Presto student discount if you take the GO, it is a real lifesaver.
What are your future plans?
This summer, I am working as an NSERC research assistant under the supervision of Dr. Eric Da Silva. My project shows the enhancement of the XRF signal from lead in bone when high levels of strontium are also present in bone, and I’m excited to present our results at the International Topical Meeting on Industrial Radiation and Radioisotope Measurement Applications (IRRMA-11) in Bologna, Italy this July!
In the fall, I will be starting my Master’s degree in the Medical Physics CAMPEP program at McMaster University. My project will look at the diffusion of lead compounds through skin and will be co-supervised by Dr. Fiona McNeill and Dr. Michael Farquharson. I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me!
Related stories: