Torry Oravec was a first year UG physics major at University of Lethbridge, with a GPA 4.00 and keen interest in Physics. He had read S. W. Hawking’s Brief History of Time, and ready to take research in Physics head on. He is currently at University of Victoria.

Torry’s letter to the Department Chair regarding the Summer Award
 
Hi Ken,
 
First of all, I want to express my gratitude to everyone in the Physics
Department, Professors, Post-docs, Grad students and summer students, for
making this an incredible experience. I realize that this is a very unique
opportunity and the experience I gained from it will serve me well in my
academic future.
 
The professors I worked with did a very good job of choosing tasks for me
that I was capable of doing, but still required me to work hard in order
to learn what was required. Each professor gave me a new perspective on
Physics, showing me many different aspects of the field, not only in terms
of their own specific discipline, but also different stages of research,
data acquisition, and data processing. I picked up skills that I would not
have had the opportunity to learn until quite some time down the road.
 
My experience in the SRRAP was a very good one. The only suggestion I have
is that the rotation schedule might be established earlier, in order to
avoid some of the confusion that occurred, and give future students a
chance to work with every professor.
 
I would also like to extend my thanks to Wissam Chemissany for repeatedly
taking time out of his own schedule to talk with me about high energy
physics and some of the math behind it, which is an area that I am very
interested in.
 
The Summer Research Rotation Award in Physics was an incredible experience
that I am very grateful to have been a part of, and I am sure future
students will enjoy it as much as I have.
 
Thank you again,
Torry