BEST’s Bergeron Medal Recipient: Mitchell Palmer

Each Year, a top graduating Lassonde student is awarded the Bergeron Medal for their academic and entrepreneurial achievement in the Bergeron Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology (BEST) program at York University. It is a unique interdisciplinary program 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.

This year, the Bergeron Medal has been awarded to Mitchell Palmer who graduated in Geomatics Engineering this summer. Mitchell is recognized for his academic achievements and participation in innovative and challenging projects such as the first Engineers Without Borders we offered in conjunction with Technion Institute of Technology in Israel.

While at Lassonde, Mitchell participated in both Hack Lassonde, and the 2019 National Geomatics Competition in Calgary. He also undertook research with Professor Baoxin Hu where he focused on artificial intelligence and remote sensing.

Mitchell is also one of the first three students to complete the new BEST certificate—which involves completing relevant courses at Lassonde, Schulich and Osgoode—and winning the pitch competition. This experience 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.

Mitchell will be a great future ambassador for BEST at Lassonde.