Michael Gowanlock

President’s Medal Winner

Oshawa, ON

B.Sc. Computer Science and Political Studies (Trent, 2008)
M.Sc. Applications of Modelling (Trent, 2010)

What does winning the President’s Medal mean to you?
I had an excellent experience living in Peterborough and attending Trent for seven years. This medal demarcates a very memorable period of my life.

How will you make a difference with your Trent degree?
This is a difficult question to answer. My experience at Trent has shown me that institutionalized learning can be a very liberating experience – it is liberating to possess the analytical skills to truly think critically. A critical eye often leaves students with the desire to “make a difference” given the social and economic problems found within our society; however, it can prove difficult to find outlets to achieve this. I hope to continue to be involved with initiatives like the Peterborough Student Co-operative, which make a tangible difference in the quality of life for students during tough economic times. It’s difficult to quantify the impact of research, but I hope mine makes a positive difference.

Why did you choose Trent?
I liked Trent’s intimate nature, and its location on the Otonabee River.

What is the best thing about studying at Trent?
The small class sizes and the many excellent professors who enjoy teaching and helping their students.

What are your future goals?
"I have started working on my Ph.D. at the University of Hawaii and have been awarded a scholarship and research stipend funded by the NASA Astrobiology Institute."

Extracurricular Activities:
Founding president of the Peterborough Student Co-operative

Volunteer Work:
Trent University Introductory Seminar Week staff member
Peterborough Science Fair Judge (2009)
Canada-Wide Science Fair Judge (2010)

Interests and Passions:

My greatest interest, personally and professionally, is Astrobiology. Astrobiology is the study of the origin, evolution, distribution and future of life in the Universe. I am also interested in areas of computer science which address the techniques and methods used to model and solve scientific problems, and I am passionate about politics.