This is Lassonde

Join us on this special episode as we celebrate World Water Day. This annual United Nations observance on March 22 brings attention to the importance of fresh water and the need for sustainable management of freshwater resources. Our guests today are Dr. Satinder Brar and Dr. Usman Khan, two Civil Engineering faculty members who are making a significant impact in water research while supporting th...

Olga Klushina graduated from the Electrical Engineering program Lassonde School of Engineering in 2022. In this episode, we chat about her experience taking part in the BEST Certificate Program at Lassonde and how it led to her current role as a Systems Engineering Lead at KPM Power. We also hear about all the different ways she got involved as a student and how those experiences allowed her to ma...

In this episode, we are joined by Brandon Loy, an Electrical Engineering alumnus from Lassonde and a current software engineer at Tesla. He talks to us about his journey from an electrical engineering degree to a career in software engineering, as well as his experience working at one of the most innovative companies in the world. He also reminisces about his time at Lassonde and offers valuable a...

In this episode, we sit down with Solomon Boakye-Yiadom, an associate professor in the Mechanical Engineering department at Lassonde. He tells us all about his research into materials and structures before diving into a discussion about the equity, diversity and inclusion work being done at Lassonde and in his lab to highlight the contributions and accomplishments of Black scientists and engineers...

In today’s episode, we are joined by Chimira Andres, a PhD student in Lassonde’s Earth and Space Science program. Chimira has travelled all around the world throughout her educational journey and worked with various organizations such as the European, Canadian and Italian Space Agencies and NASA. In this episode, she reflects on her educational path and how she ended up here. She also discusses he...

In this episode, we are joined by Austin Martins, a graduate student studying Civil Engineering at Lassonde. He tells us about his journey, and how the passion and camaraderie he saw from the students and professors at York inspired him to attend Lassonde as an undergraduate student. He then shares some of his most memorable moments and describes the hands-on experiences that his Civil Engineering...

Chris Korfmann is an Electrical Engineering student at Lassonde who comes from a kinesiology background. In this episode, he tells us why he chose electrical engineering and how he hopes to apply his engineering education to the medical field. We also learn about the research he is doing with the Hili Group and some of the current discoveries in the field, such as the advancement in DNA reading, e...

In this episode, we talk to Mechanical Engineering alumna, Jowana Burgan, who tells us how her love of hands-on work led her to pursue engineering and study at Lassonde. We also hear about what inspired her to create the 'Girls Mechanic Team', a group dedicated to teaching girls car maintenance, and all of the doors that decision opened for her. Finally, she shares advice for other women in STEM b...

Nicolas D'etremont is a Lassonde alumnus, now working as a Meteorologist in Ottawa. In this episode, he shares how a childhood fear of thunder led him to develop an unexpected passion for weather and ultimately brought him to the Atmospheric Science program at Lassonde. He also tells us about his work predicting the weather using mathematical models and gives us some examples of extreme weather pa...

Dr. Neil Tandon is an Atmospheric Science professor at Lassonde and a researcher in climate dynamics. In this episode, he tells us about his unconventional journey to becoming a professor and how his love of mathematics led to his discovery of atmospheric science. We also chat with him about his experience as a professor and researcher, and he describes the impact that the COVID quarantine had on...

Maira Zafar is a Lassonde Mechanical Engineering Alumna now working in Business Development and Marketing at Morgan Solar Inc, a Toronto-based solar technology innovator. In this episode, Maira discusses her interest in renewable energy, her concerns about the climate crisis, her passion for sustainable fashion and how she found her inspiration for engineering design at the intersection of all the...

Josh Sahota is an alumnus of Lassonde’s Computer Security program, now working as a security consultant for IBM. In this episode, he discusses how his fascination with technology and hands-on learning at a young age transformed into an interest in computer networking, and how that led him to the Computer Security program at Lassonde. He also talks about how his final year capstone project, dealing...

Simran Kanda is a Lassonde Computer Science Alumna, currently working as a Project Manager at Montreal New Tech, a nonprofit dedicated to the success of startups and entrepreneurs. In this episode, she tells us about how her love for math and programming led her to Lassonde and describes her learning journey as a first-generation post-secondary learner. We also hear about the many ways she got inv...

Jeff Harris is an Assistant Professor and Director of Common Engineering at Lassonde. In this episode, he tells us how he strives to create impact through engineering education and how he has worked to implement active learning and flipped classrooms. He then gives us a look at how the role of engineering has evolved over time. Finally, he describes what a T-shaped engineer is, and how he and his...

Dr. Stephanie Gora is an assistant professor of Civil Engineering at Lassonde. In this episode, she discusses her career path and how she went from a high school student with an interest in biology, to a renowned researcher with a focus on drinking water management in small and Arctic communities and the development and evaluation of light-based technologies for water purification. She also discus...

In this episode, we meet Connor Dear, a Software Engineering Alumnus. He tells us how Canadian Astronaut, Chris Hadfield, inspired him to pursue engineering, which led him to the Space Engineering program at Lassonde. He then describes his undergraduate student journey, how he caught the software engineering bug, and assures other students that it’s okay to switch programs if they discover a new p...

Mahrus Kazi is a Lassonde Alumnus from the Electrical Engineering program currently working as an Automation Engineer at Apple. In this episode, he describes how joining a FIRST Robotics team in high school sparked his passion for engineering and talks about the impact that a mentor can have on your future. He then discusses his undergraduate experience, highlighting how taking part in the annual...

Saiba Trisa is a recent grad of the Computer Engineering program at Lassonde. In this episode, she talks about her experience on campus as an international student from Dubai, and how the Lassonde community supported her. She also gives advice to students and talks about what they can expect during their final-year capstone project and how to make the most of the experience. Finally, she tells us...

In this episode, we meet Kanishk Singh, who takes us on a journey as he discusses how his interest in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SGDs) led him to the Civil Engineering and International Development program at Lassonde. He then tells us how his education played a role in landing his dream job at the United Nations in Denmark and gives us a look into what a day at the UN lo...

Theresa Nguyen is a Lassonde Alumna with a dual degree in Mechanical Engineering and International Development, currently working as a Junior Mechanical Engineer at a sustainable startup company in Portland, Maine.   In this episode, she explains how a desire to create societal change and combine her love of politics with technical skills led her to complete the dual degree program. She also discu...

Gbemisola Akerele is a Lassonde student currently finishing her 4th year in the Computer Science program. In this episode, she discusses how her mother’s mobility issues inspired her to develop a fitness app for people with disabilities as her final year capstone project. We also learn about her involvement with Lassonde’s k2i academy, and how she is working to bring STEM education to underreprese...

Anson Thomas is an alumnus from Lassonde’s Civil Engineering program. He is currently working as a project coordinator for light-rail transit (LRT). This week, we sit down to talk with him about how he is applying his Lassonde education in the "real world".   Anson shares his “a-ha" moment with us – a time in his childhood that helped him realize that he wanted to connect people and cities – which...

Alison Evans Adnani is the senior program lead for the Dev Degree team at Shopify. She has more than 25 years of experience as a developer and lead of education and training for global technology companies. This week, Alison sits down with us to discuss Dev Degree, a four-year integrated learning program offered by the Lassonde School of Engineering and Shopify, as well as her own journey from com...