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In the first week of September, 鲍鱼tv Engineering officially welcomed its first-year engineering students to Sexton Campus. Students met classmates, learned about the wide number of societies and student groups and design teams, engaged in hands-on activities and began making key connections on campus.

As part of the celebration, we spoke with three of our incoming students, Mia Makela, Clara Gallant, and Rebecca Perry to learn more about what inspired them to pursue engineering and why they chose 鲍鱼tv University.

• Mia Makela
• Clara Gallant
• Rebecca Perry

Mia Makela

1. Where are you from, and what inspired you to choose engineering at 鲍鱼tv?

I grew up in Kelowna, B.C., and until moving to Halifax, I had never been east of Quebec City. I chose 鲍鱼tv for its excellent reputation and for the opportunity to live and learn in another province in Canada. I am excited to learn more about life in Halifax, Nova Scotia and the rest of the Maritimes! 聽In terms of engineering, I have always loved sciences (especially chemistry and math) and wanted to learn how to apply them in my future career. Engineering is a challenge I am excited to take on.聽

2. What interests you most about engineering?

Engineering interests me because of the opportunities for leadership, problem solving, and teamwork. Through a few job shadows I did in high school, I learned that the job is never quite the same and allows you to learn through work. I鈥檝e always wanted to work somewhere that would impact the world around me. I believe engineering will give me some purpose and add value to my community and potentially globally.聽

3. How would you describe the Dal Engineering community so far?

Although classes have not yet begun, orientation day gave me the chance to meet upper-year students, learn about clubs and competitions, discover campus resources, and connect with many fellow first-year students. I鈥檝e discovered that the Dal engineering community is very focused on team building and collaboration. I look forward to experiencing the learning and growth that will come with being part of this community.

4. What type of engineering do you hope to pursue, and why?

Currently, I am interested in environmental engineering because I think it has a big future ahead. I hope to make an impact through my work, in this case through climate action and protecting our future. But my dad, who鈥檚 an engineer himself, keeps repeating to me that I should not think about choosing a discipline.

5. How do you plan to make the most of your engineering journey?

I plan to make the most of this journey by balancing my studies with outdoor activities and exercise. As well as engaging with faculty, joining clubs, developing lasting relationships with my fellow students and learning about Nova Scotia.

6. 聽If you could design anything, what would it be?

I would create a low-cost and low energy water purifying and distribution system that could be used in remote areas and third world countries. Having safe drinking water would not only change the health of millions of people but also support a healthy economy.

Clara Gallant

1. Where are you from, and what inspired you to choose engineering at 鲍鱼tv?

I am from Ottawa, Ontario and I chose 鲍鱼tv engineering for many reasons. I really appreciated the ability to do co-op and look forward to gaining that work experience while still in school. Moreover, I love 鲍鱼tv University for its campus, where we are surrounded by historic buildings, while at the same time being near downtown. Overall, the Dal Engineering community seems wonderful and inviting, and the Sexton Campus feels like the perfect place to pursue new ideas and experiences.

2. What interests you most about engineering?

What interests me most about engineering is its fundamentals; what I mean by that is the drive to search for new and improved technologies to improve general well-being. In particular, engineering, as I see it, is a way for our society to continuously better itself by building on each other's ideas. Notably in today's landscape, that means creating and improving technologies and infrastructure to be more energy conscious.聽

3. How would you describe the Dal Engineering community so far?

Dal Engineering, as I have observed it so far, seems so warm and inviting. The different societies and clubs make it easy for any student to really get involved and explore what drives them. In addition, everyone who I have spoken to, involved in engineering, has been so kind to answer any questions I have about almost everything. Although I have not yet been able to meet any of the professors, all the other administrative personnel have been so accommodating and understanding to the incoming classes, especially with everything that has been going on.聽

4. What type of engineering do you hope to pursue, and why?

Currently I am unsure of which area of engineering I hope to pursue. I believe there is so much to learn in my first year and so many new things to discover that I do not want to impede that process by only exploring one course of study. That said, I am still very excited to explore mechanical, chemical, and environmental engineering, which is what I believe will interest me the most. Furthermore, I am very excited about the Biomedical Engineering certificate, due to my interest in medical technologies and their applications.聽聽

5. How do you plan to make the most of your engineering journey?

Over the next 4-5 years of my engineering journey I plan on getting as involved as possible, especially with all the on-campus clubs and groups that are engineering focused. I also plan on taking full advantage of 鲍鱼tv鈥檚 connections in industry and try out many different co-op opportunities to immerse myself in the engineering culture. As I see it, being here is such a privilege so I really want to soak up every aspect of engineering and general Halifax life.聽聽

6. 聽If you could design anything, what would it be?

If I could design anything I would choose to redesign the fridge. Most homes have a fridge, an everyday appliance, supermarkets too are full of fridges, restaurants, everywhere. To me, It鈥檚 an appliance that people often take for granted. It's always on, always cold, and it uses a lot of energy considering that we need fridges to sustain ourselves. Redesigning an energy-efficient fridge could help decrease almost everyone鈥檚 carbon footprint, especially since 鈥渃old鈥� is not just one fridge, but rather a long chain of transfers from one fridge to the other until it reaches our home.

Rebecca Perry

1. Where are you from, and what inspired you to choose engineering at 鲍鱼tv?

I am from Calgary, Alberta, and what drew me to 鲍鱼tv was the beautiful scenery and coastal vibes that surround the school. From the聽short time I've been here, I've been able to explore the beaches, go to the docks and spend lots of time outdoors before the weather changes.聽I have some friends who are already in the engineering program at Dal and they had nothing but good things to say about the program.

2. What interests you most about engineering?

The main aspect that made me decide to take engineering is my love for both physics and math.聽

3. How would you describe the Dal Engineering community so far?

So far, I would describe it as a lively community. I haven鈥檛 had any classes yet, but from what I can tell, everyone is friendly and kind. It is important to make connections with others in this progrgam as we will all help each other and get through it together. 聽

4. What type of engineering do you hope to pursue, and why?

I currently have no idea, which is why I am thankful that 鲍鱼tv has a common first year so that I can see which discipline really sparks my interest.聽

5. How do you plan to make the most of your engineering journey?

I hope to make close connections with my classmates and stay on top of my work. 聽I plan on being engaged in the engineering community and finding a club (or clubs) to join that combine both my interests and passions. 聽

6. 聽If you could design anything, what would it be?

I would like to design something that makes the world better. Hopefully, by the end of my degree, I will figure out what that is.聽聽