Winnica Beltrano
Founder & Principal Advisor
Project Pulse Winnipeg
Learn About My Career
Winnica Beltrano is the Founder & Principal Advisor at Project Pulse Winnipeg.
I was born/grew up in: Manila, Philippines
I now live in: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
I completed my training/education at: University of Calgary, Bachelor of Health Sciences (Class of 2020)
My work with Project Pulse Winnipeg involves brainstorming ideas for health science resources that will best benefit high school students seeking a path in the field. While I currently study outside of Winnipeg, I make it a top priority of mine to keep up-to-date with the conference planning process of our executive team. My role enables me to provide thoughtful advice and suggestions to our team. I use my connections and resources to establish partnerships with other organizations. Project Pulse Winnipeg is a student-run organization. As a result our team members have the opportunity to develop their skills in effective communication, website design, marketing, finance, and working with a team.
My first science fair project in fourth grade answered the question, "Which type of Tupperware would best keep apples fresh for the longest amount of time?". I remember feeling discouraged when my project had not qualified for the regional fair. Fast forward several years to high school when I gave science fairs another try. This time it led to my participation at the Canada-wide Science Fair in 2016. It was through this experience I learned how to cultivate a growth mindset: understanding that setbacks are part of the learning process while adopting the belief that my abilities were not fixed entities - I could develop them into anything I desired with enough hard work and dedication!
I would not be where I am today without the support of my family and STEM mentors. Through the many times inside and outside of school when nothing seemed to be going right, their advice and encouragement always brought me back to thinking about the purpose behind my work. This kept me motivated to persist through the toughest of challenges. I am thankful for their ongoing support towards my goals, however odd they turn out to be!
I truly see myself as someone who loves bringing people together. Through Project Pulse Winnipeg, students from all over the city and surrounding areas are given the opportunity to build meaningful connections with students and professionals working in the health science field. They also get to connect with fellow students from other schools with similar interests and passions. The most fulfilling part about my role is witnessing the positive impact the conference continues to have on empowering students to pursue their interests in the health science field.
My vision for Project Pulse Winnipeg in our inaugural year involved increasing accessibility to health science resources for high school students who may not be as readily exposed to these types of opportunities. As a first generation Canadian this was a situation that I had found myself in. This served as motivation to introduce this initiative to the Winnipeg community. Project Pulse Winnipeg continues to run solely on the support of sponsors. Thanks to our sponsors the conference is free of cost to all students. This eliminates the financial barriers of attending. Through the various panels, workshops, and information booths we offer at our conference, it is our hope that students leave with the confidence and motivation to pursue their interests in the health sciences field, regardless of their background or socioeconomic status. To date, our conference has reached over 200 students in Manitoba, and is growing and expanding every year.
I received my first journal as a birthday gift when I was eight years old, and have been journaling ever since. It is a wonderful way to reflect on your personal growth, while also practicing gratitude and mindfulness! I also love playing Tetris in my spare time, and am always looking for new songs to add to my Spotify playlist!
My advice for youth would be to embrace uncertainty, and to view setbacks as valuable learning opportunities for personal growth.
What I do at work
My work with Project Pulse Winnipeg involves brainstorming ideas for health science resources that will best benefit high school students seeking a path in the field. While I currently study outside of Winnipeg, I make it a top priority of mine to keep up-to-date with the conference planning process of our executive team. My role enables me to provide thoughtful advice and suggestions to our team. I use my connections and resources to establish partnerships with other organizations. Project Pulse Winnipeg is a student-run organization. As a result our team members have the opportunity to develop their skills in effective communication, website design, marketing, finance, and working with a team.
My career path is
My first science fair project in fourth grade answered the question, "Which type of Tupperware would best keep apples fresh for the longest amount of time?". I remember feeling discouraged when my project had not qualified for the regional fair. Fast forward several years to high school when I gave science fairs another try. This time it led to my participation at the Canada-wide Science Fair in 2016. It was through this experience I learned how to cultivate a growth mindset: understanding that setbacks are part of the learning process while adopting the belief that my abilities were not fixed entities - I could develop them into anything I desired with enough hard work and dedication!
I would not be where I am today without the support of my family and STEM mentors. Through the many times inside and outside of school when nothing seemed to be going right, their advice and encouragement always brought me back to thinking about the purpose behind my work. This kept me motivated to persist through the toughest of challenges. I am thankful for their ongoing support towards my goals, however odd they turn out to be!
I am motivated by
I truly see myself as someone who loves bringing people together. Through Project Pulse Winnipeg, students from all over the city and surrounding areas are given the opportunity to build meaningful connections with students and professionals working in the health science field. They also get to connect with fellow students from other schools with similar interests and passions. The most fulfilling part about my role is witnessing the positive impact the conference continues to have on empowering students to pursue their interests in the health science field.
How I affect peoples’ lives
My vision for Project Pulse Winnipeg in our inaugural year involved increasing accessibility to health science resources for high school students who may not be as readily exposed to these types of opportunities. As a first generation Canadian this was a situation that I had found myself in. This served as motivation to introduce this initiative to the Winnipeg community. Project Pulse Winnipeg continues to run solely on the support of sponsors. Thanks to our sponsors the conference is free of cost to all students. This eliminates the financial barriers of attending. Through the various panels, workshops, and information booths we offer at our conference, it is our hope that students leave with the confidence and motivation to pursue their interests in the health sciences field, regardless of their background or socioeconomic status. To date, our conference has reached over 200 students in Manitoba, and is growing and expanding every year.
Outside of work I
I received my first journal as a birthday gift when I was eight years old, and have been journaling ever since. It is a wonderful way to reflect on your personal growth, while also practicing gratitude and mindfulness! I also love playing Tetris in my spare time, and am always looking for new songs to add to my Spotify playlist!
My advice to others
My advice for youth would be to embrace uncertainty, and to view setbacks as valuable learning opportunities for personal growth.
When I was a student I enjoyed:
- Literature and English language arts
- Math
- Industrial Arts/Shop Programs
- Physical Education/Health
- Science
- Technology
When I was a student, I would describe myself as someone who:
- Brought people together
- Enjoyed doing things on my own
- Liked helping people
- Organized activities for my friends
- Played on a sports team
- Was motivated by success
- Wanted to be in charge
- Liked being given specific instructions
- Liked being given free range to explore my ideas
- Engaged in volunteer activities
- Liked reading
- Was really creative
Partners
Canada 2067
Let’s Talk Science recognizes and thanks Winnica Beltrano for her contribution to Canada 2067.
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