"The opportunities that UBC Engineering offers are fantastic. It goes beyond the classes you take."
Raeiti Azarkeyvan
- Degree: Bachelor of Applied Science
- Program:
- Campus: Vancouver
Why did you want to study engineering?
I had decided on engineering by Grade 11 because I really liked to solve problems, fix things and take things apart to figure out how they work. I couldn’t see myself doing anything else!
How did you choose your specialization in Environmental Engineering?
At first, I thought I wanted to do computer engineering, even though I had minimal coding experience. First year does a really good job of introducing you to different engineering disciplines and helping you understand what the specializations are like. After completing the coding course offered to engineering students in first year, I quickly realized it was not something I saw myself doing as a full-time job. I also realized I didn’t want to be behind a screen every day, and that I wanted a career that also included outside field work.
Foundation Year Environmental Engineering
Are you involved in any clubs or teams?
I’ve been doing a bunch of little things. I was involved with UBC Solar, which I joined in first year. After that I worked with UBC WasteNauts. They were focussed on using waste as a product. I really enjoyed that work and got to lead my own project. I was also the Co-President of Environmental Engineering in my third year and took on a lot of leadership initiatives – from running meetings and connecting with students and staff to attending events within the EUS.
UBC SolarUBC WasteNautsEngineering Undergraduate Society
What have your co-op experiences been like?
Co-op has been awesome and totally worth it for me. Even if it extends your degree by a year, it allows you to learn more about the opportunities within your specialization and figure out what you really like to do. A lot of times the things you learn in the classroom are very theoretical, whereas co-op is very practical, such as learning to use different software applications.
Any advice for other students?
In first year, it can be hard to ignore the fact that you may not be the top of the class anymore and that you are somewhere in the middle. Remind yourself that we are all different and unique in our own ways.
Be confident in who you are, believe in yourself and know that there's light at the end of the tunnel.
