- Juan Diego Balestrini Freundt Thurne
- Degree: Bachelor of Applied Science
- Program:
- Campus: Vancouver
We are excited to announce that Juan Diego Balestrini Freundt Thurne is the recipient of the 2025 UBC Applied Science Co-op Student of the Year Award. His outstanding contributions in his Co-op workplace, personal development as an engineer, and engagement on campus to support his peers have all been exceptional.
Juan Diego is an undergraduate student in Mechanical Engineering pursuing the mechatronics specialization. He completed two co-op work terms with Miru Smart Technologies working to upgrade mechanical engineering facilities, and most recently completed two co-op work terms with Red Rabbit working in robotics development for automated manufacturing. Here, he was able to make impressive technical contributions to design and assembly work, but also engage with company leaders to gain insight on product planning and business strategy, pick up additional responsibilities, and even publicly represent the company at the Automate 2025 trade show in Detroit.
From Juan Diego:
“The fast pace of a small startup meant rapidly developing a wide range of skills - from CAD and design for manufacturing to part sizing, self-management, and project coordination. Working closely with the co-founders provided valuable insight into product planning, business strategy, and fundraising. Our regular discussions about how startups are built and operated gave me a deeper understanding of entrepreneurship and helped me reflect on whether I want to join an early-stage company or eventually start my own. The exposure to engineering and entrepreneurship broadened my perspective on where I may end up.”
From the CEO of Red Rabbit:
“JD’s impact at Red Rabbit Robotics went far beyond his defined co-op role. JD’s meticulous preparation and on-site troubleshooting ensured the robot operated reliably in front of investors and potential partners. Through his mentorship, outreach, and community-building efforts, Juan has made a lasting impact not only on our organization but also on how we engage future engineers in meaningful, high-impact projects. JD was functioning at the level of a full-time hardware engineer, trusted with responsibilities typically reserved for senior technical staff.”
At the UBC Vancouver campus, Juan Diego served as Captain of Open Robotics where he honed his robotics skills and applied learnings from his co-op experiences. He took initiative to support teammates with their co-op goals by organizing resume and interview workshops for his peers, and even made connections between his co-op network and UBC to promote students for future opportunities.
“I saw [co-op] as an opportunity to explore different fields and find what called to me. The combination of practical experience and exploration led me to apply for the Co-op program, in hopes it would help me develop as a future engineer and discover my path. My co-op at Red Rabbit Robotics proved to be the perfect opportunity to not only develop as an engineer but also make impactful contributions to my employer and open doors for other UBC engineering students. Together, all of these opportunities have helped me identify the type of engineering career I want: fast-paced, full of problem solving, and where I can have a meaningful impact.”
Congratulations Juan Diego!
