This article is from APSC Student and Alumni Stars.
Bridging the Gap Between Engineering and Social Science
“The best motivator is knowing that my work has a positive impact on others – finding ways to make that human connection with my research has been so important.”
Jessica Wolf
- Degree: Master of Applied Science
- Grad year: 2024
- Program: Mechanical Engineering
- Campus: Vancouver
Why did you choose to go into your field of study at UBC?
I originally began my MASc in Mechanical Engineering because I had studied general engineering in undergrad, spent a year working as a mechanical engineer, and decided I wanted to try out research. I chose UBC mainly because I had lived in the United States until then and wanted to branch out, and had heard really positive things about UBC Engineering from my undergraduate professors and mentors.
A few months into my master’s program, I made the switch over from engineering research to engineering education research. From graduating into the beginning of the pandemic to working in the US aerospace-defense industry to ultra-specific technical lab work, I had long been seeking a sense of fulfillment from my engineering work—I wanted to be able to feel every day that I was contributing positively to society. I finally found that in engineering education research, inspired by the equity-minded pedagogical research that I witnessed my undergraduate professors and the UBC Educational Leadership faculty conduct.
Have you acquired any particularly useful skills?
One of the most useful skills I’ve learned through my graduate studies at UBC is that of interdisciplinary work. My research in engineering education is inherently interdisciplinary—throughout my time here I have collaborated with students and faculty across all of the engineering departments, as well as sociology, psychology and education. I’ve had the opportunity to take graduate courses in not only mechanical engineering, but also civil engineering, education, sociology, and gender, race, sexuality and social justice (GRSJ). These learning experiences have helped me contextualize my research on equity, diversity and inclusion in engineering, within the broader context of systems of oppression that are present in society and in the engineering field. I’ve also gained valuable skills in communicating about these topics with engineers (both faculty and students), who are and will be instrumental in enacting meaningful change in engineering education.
What advice would you give a student entering your degree program?
I started my degree program knowing virtually nothing about grad school—just how different it is from undergrad, how important your supervisor relationship can be and the nature of grad school imposter syndrome. The best decision I made during my program was changing my research area, project and supervisor, to focus on equity in engineering education with Dr. Agnes d’Entremont. I would encourage any engineering student entering grad school to do so with an open mind and heart to the different possibilities and paths that they can take. For most of my education, I was following a very specific and expected path towards a STEM degree, and then towards a high-paying and secure engineering job, and so on. Grad school can certainly be part of that path if that’s what you want, but it’s also an incredible opportunity to explore different research directions, make connections with people in different fields, and ask (and answer) questions that you might not have the opportunity to do so elsewhere.
How would you describe the student community?
I think, in general, grad school as a MASc or PhD student in engineering can be a bit isolating. Many people spend the majority of their time in their lab oroffice, and thus have much less opportunity to form community with their peers. Luckily I got involved with MEGA soon after I started my program, which was the starting point for many of my connections. Through MEGA I found like-minded peers who cared about advocating for grad students’ needs, and during my time as MEGA president I was able to help usher in more student participation in the club after a lull during the virtual years of the pandemic.