Student Experience: From Working On Fusion Energy To Testing Humanoid Robotics

How did you choose Mechanical Engineering?

In first year, I realized I wanted something more broad than environmental engineering and that I could apply my interests in sustainability in other ways.

Mechanical engineering was my top choice because I really liked working on physical, mechanical systems.

My first year of studies also coincided with COVID, which meant that learning was happening online. I got involved in some design teams so I could connect with other people and learn a bit more than I would through classes alone. A lot of these teams are oriented to mechanical engineering and I found I really enjoyed the work.

In second year, mechanical engineering students take MECH 2. It’s a hands-on exploration of a lot of engineering principles. I quickly realized that I had chosen the right program for me. Being able to use machines to make things just felt right.

What are some of the highlights of your degree so far?

This might be an unusual answer, but one highlight is a course I took on engineering circuit design. Specifically, we had a lab on building a rectifier and cleaning up a noisy signal. Using a signal generator create an AC signal, we had to add components to the circuit to make it clearer and closer to the target DC voltage.

It was an experience of slowly moving through different steps to get closer to something that made a lot of sense.

I found it very rewarding, and I often see this course as an extrapolation of the kind of work and learning process that are typical in engineering.

Tell us about your involvement with engineering design teams.

I was part two teams! I participated as a general member on UBC UAS, designing mechanical systems for a competition drone. I also eventually led a subteam on UBC AeroDesign, building remote-controlled, fixed-wing aircraft. It was my first time needing to manage the technical side of a project as well as a team of people.

It was great to help others build their confidence working with their hands and was an excellent growth opportunity for me. I learned a lot about project and team management.

Any co-op or work experiences you’d like to share?

I did my first co-op term at General Fusion, a company trying to advance fusion energy, and I’m currently working with Sanctuary AI. The company’s been around since 2018 and they’re working on humanoid robotics. My specific role as a testing engineer has been to validate the systems and projects other engineering teams have come up with. The testing is an important part of the iterative design process, acting as a means to gauge real-life system performance.

Among other things, the co-op position has affirmed how important communication is to the engineering process. You need to be able to clearly communicate with technical teams.

Do you have any thoughts on the impact you’d like to have in your career?

I would love to be able to apply my knowledge to make our world a little more sustainable.

I also want to have a balanced life where I get meaning from my work as well as my hobbies! Using my skills to help an organization advance its goals is great, but I always look forward to coming home at the end of the work day to bake bread or do other things I love to do!

Anything else you want to share?

If you have any questions at all or need support, reach out to administrative staff and faculty. They are very positive and are dedicated to helping you out.

In terms of inclusivity, mechanical engineering is still more of a male-dominated space than other disciplines. However, there is a lot of effort to make sure people feel heard and are comfortable, such as through groups like Women in Engineering or Gears and Queers.

While there’s still work to do, a lot of people are working to make sure the spaces are inclusive and that you feel comfortable and welcomed.