I originally joined the University of Toronto with fairly general interests, after participating in some summer camp programs run by the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering the year before.  I developed an interest in trying to learn about things mechanistically, as one of the main principles of materials science. I believe my education has broadened my perspective and improved my ability to appreciate the challenges associated with developing new products and technologies for the physical world.

Beyond the core education, there were countless other opportunities to explore. I have attended activities for several clubs out of curiosity, although did not have the time available to continue with many of them. I had also enrolled in two introductory classes on linguistics as electives, learning about the structure and properties of languages, which I found particularly interesting as a native speaker of both Canadian English and Mandarin Chinese. 

Since the option was available, I often took more courses than required each semester in order to learn more things. I obtained a minor in Advanced Manufacturing, and certificates in both Engineering Business and Forensic Engineering. Forensic engineering is one of the topics I am particularly interested in, as it is related to determining how failures and accidents occur, what mechanistic or systemic issues were involved, and how these events can be mitigated or prevented in the future. Other topics I find fascinating are nanomaterials and clean energy technologies.

At Queen's, my primary focus was on my Master's research project. The program also required taking several courses. I have learned more about corrosion, nuclear materials, and the characterisation thereof. Similar to during my undergrad, I elected to take extra courses and also learned a bit about leadership theory. All graduate-level courses have writing and presentation components, which allowed me to further develop these skills in addition to learning the course material.

As part of the program, I have been involved as a teaching assistant (TA) for two courses in the Mechanical Engineering department. These positions have allowed me to provide guidance and participate in the education of a large group of students, which I have found quite gratifying.

Additional information on my work as a graduate student can be found on the Work and Projects page.

• Attention to detail - I am often focused on smaller details to ensure nothing is missed. During project discussions, I always try to find the questions to ask that might otherwise have been overlooked. In the lab, I try to make note of as much information as I think reasonable to be able to reference it again if needed. I will accurately follow written procedures while simultaneously trying to find optimisations and improvements, and can quickly identify how and why I have made mistakes should I do so.

• Writing - I believe I am able to communicate written ideas in a precise manner and with an appropriate technical tone when required. I have usually been the main proofreader during group projects, and am regularly asked to review items for friends, for both academic and personal purposes. When evaluating work as a TA, I always read carefully and provide moderately detailed feedback on how to improve the clarity or presentation of the student's ideas.

• Resourceful - As I become familiar with a working environment, I make note of the resources available, allowing me to quickly determine options when an issue arises, as well as point others in the right direction. During discussions with colleagues, I like to share ideas on how to resolve issues or perform certain tasks, whether it be a somewhat standard answer or a comparatively more creative one.

• Speaking - I am generally a somewhat reserved person and typically prefer to listen to others, which helps me learn a bit about how other people think and approach problems, although it is sometimes a bit challenging to get my own thoughts heard. One of the reasons why I prefer written communication is disliking spontaneity, as I prefer to think thoroughly about an idea and how to phrase it before sharing, which may make fast-paced group discussions a bit difficult. As I gain more experience and become more comfortable with a topic, this becomes less of an impediment.

• Confidence - Without sufficient experience in a field, I am likely to question whether my own work is correct. This typically manifests as needing to check things over in greater detail or seeking another person to help review, which may take a bit of time. My work in graduate school has helped mitigate this to some extent, although any new environment will still have me take a short while to get acclimated and speed up. Despite feeling this way, my work has always been well received.