Each year, a top student graduating from the Lassonde School of Engineering is selected to receive the Bergeron Medal in recognition of their academic and entrepreneurial achievements in the Bergeron Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology (BEST) program at York University.
Mitchell Palmer shows off his BEST award
This year, the Bergeron Medal has been awarded to Mitchell Palmer who has just graduated with a degree in geomatics engineering. Palmer was recognized for his academic achievements and participation in innovative and challenging projects such as the first Engineers Without Borders offered by Lassonde in conjunction with Technion Institute of Technology in Israel.
While studying at Lassonde, Palmer participated in both Hack Lassonde and the 2019 National Geomatics Competition in Calgary, AB. In addition to these activities, Palmer undertook research with geomatics engineering Professor Baoxin Hu where he focused on artificial intelligence and remote sensing.
He is also one of the first three students to complete the new BEST certificate – which involves completing relevant courses at Lassonde, the Schulich School of Business and Osgoode Hall Law School –and winning a pitch competition. This experience Palmer said helped him prepare for his successful capstone project where he developed an automated functioning machine learning application for identifying hydro poles and other road assets.
The BEST program is a unique interdisciplinary initiative offered at York University and supported by Doug Bergeron, a York alumnus and successful technology entrepreneur (Verifone). BEST offers in-class, experiential and international opportunities to help develop Canada’s next generation of technology entrepreneurs, through a combination of curricular and co-curricular activities and real-world experiences to aspiring student-entrepreneurs.