Sofia Cuyegkeng
2021 Undergraduate Student of the Year – Honourable Mention
Excellence in the Workplace
Sofia worked at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) as a Junior Research Scholar on two main projects, one for the APEC Business Advisory Council, and the other for the Public Health Agency of Canada. For these projects, Sofia conducted research and provided policy analysis on the governance of emerging technologies and the use of digital tools during the pandemic. She also drafted Southeast Asia economy profiles evaluating the policy landscape for adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) applications domestically. She additionally supported research and report drafting for APF Canada’s AI Education report. As for her personal project, Sofia authored an independent research project on 5G geopolitics in the Philippines, which is published on APF Canada’s website.
Project Manager Daniela Rodriguez praised Sofia’s work in this role, stating that she demonstrated great work ethic, quality of research and writing, and was “incredibly responsive to asks from supervisors and revisions to her work, which made her a pleasure to work with.” Daniela also mentioned that Junior Research Scholars are usually postgraduate students, and Sofia “performed just as well or better than some students in this position. According to Daniela, Sofia’s responsiveness, professional manner, and enthusiasm resulted in her work being increasingly featured in publications for professional and academic audiences.
Community Involvement
Sofia’s experience at APF Canada ignited her passion for generating socioeconomic change, and as a result she decided to become involved with the Young Diplomats of Canada, through which she attended the 2021 World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings as an official YDC Delegate to advocate for youth perspectives in global affairs. Additionally, Sofia has joined the UBC Journal of International Affairs (JIA) as an editor to produce the 2021-2022 edition of JIA.
Beyond the Classroom
Sofia credits being a member of the Digital Asia team at APF Canada for being “instrumental to my overall development, solidifying my plans for future academic and career pursuits at the crossroads of policy, technology, and business.” Her dual background in international relations and business proved to be integral as a foundation for her work at APF Canada, as she used a combination of policy research and business analysis to create unique insights when working on projects. In addition to solidifying her interest in pursuing a career in both international policy and business, Sofia states that her time as a Junior Research Scholar for the Digital Asia research pillar at APF Canada was “an extraordinary learning experience that pushed me to my limits in developing my capabilities as a growing professional in the policy industry.”
About the UBC Arts Co-op Student of the Year Award
The annual award recognizes outstanding achievement in all aspects of the UBC Arts Co-op student’s performance, including academic achievement, job achievement/employer evaluation, personal statement, contribution to co-operative education, and contribution to extra-curricular activities.
Sofia Cuyegkeng
2021 Undergraduate Student of the Year – Honourable Mention
Excellence in the Workplace
Sofia worked at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) as a Junior Research Scholar on two main projects, one for the APEC Business Advisory Council, and the other for the Public Health Agency of Canada. For these projects, Sofia conducted research and provided policy analysis on the governance of emerging technologies and the use of digital tools during the pandemic. She also drafted Southeast Asia economy profiles evaluating the policy landscape for adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) applications domestically. She additionally supported research and report drafting for APF Canada’s AI Education report. As for her personal project, Sofia authored an independent research project on 5G geopolitics in the Philippines, which is published on APF Canada’s website.
Project Manager Daniela Rodriguez praised Sofia’s work in this role, stating that she demonstrated great work ethic, quality of research and writing, and was “incredibly responsive to asks from supervisors and revisions to her work, which made her a pleasure to work with.” Daniela also mentioned that Junior Research Scholars are usually postgraduate students, and Sofia “performed just as well or better than some students in this position. According to Daniela, Sofia’s responsiveness, professional manner, and enthusiasm resulted in her work being increasingly featured in publications for professional and academic audiences.
Community Involvement
Sofia’s experience at APF Canada ignited her passion for generating socioeconomic change, and as a result she decided to become involved with the Young Diplomats of Canada, through which she attended the 2021 World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings as an official YDC Delegate to advocate for youth perspectives in global affairs. Additionally, Sofia has joined the UBC Journal of International Affairs (JIA) as an editor to produce the 2021-2022 edition of JIA.
Beyond the Classroom
Sofia credits being a member of the Digital Asia team at APF Canada for being “instrumental to my overall development, solidifying my plans for future academic and career pursuits at the crossroads of policy, technology, and business.” Her dual background in international relations and business proved to be integral as a foundation for her work at APF Canada, as she used a combination of policy research and business analysis to create unique insights when working on projects. In addition to solidifying her interest in pursuing a career in both international policy and business, Sofia states that her time as a Junior Research Scholar for the Digital Asia research pillar at APF Canada was “an extraordinary learning experience that pushed me to my limits in developing my capabilities as a growing professional in the policy industry.”
About the UBC Arts Co-op Student of the Year Award
The annual award recognizes outstanding achievement in all aspects of the UBC Arts Co-op student’s performance, including academic achievement, job achievement/employer evaluation, personal statement, contribution to co-operative education, and contribution to extra-curricular activities.