“A graduate engineering degree opens doors to amazing opportunities, but requires hard work, dedication and most importantly, the willingness to learn and fail. Come in with an open mind, leave with a wealth of knowledge and mark your contribution...”
Kevin Chen
- Degree:
- Master of Engineering Leadership
- Grad year: 2018
- Program:
- Campus: Vancouver
I have an insatiable curiosity for knowledge and the innate need to understand the world. Throughout my career in science and engineering, I have always been fascinated with solving complex problems and understanding the implications of technological innovation. After three years of working in civil engineering, I wanted to learn more about the future of infrastructure and enrolled in the Master of Engineering Leadership in Urban Systems. During this one-year program, my team and I have taken on a variety of challenging projects such as “Planning Sapperton District Energy Site’s Strategy for City of New Westminster,” “Developing an Asset Management Plan for City of Vancouver’s Pavement Infrastructure” and “Conceptualizing Sustainable and Livable Brownfield Redevelopment in Blatchford Edmonton.” To understand the impact of data on sustainability, I collaborated with a classmate on a research project using UBC Campus Wi-Fi data to assess building occupancy. In addition to my classes, I represented Applied Science graduate students on the President’s Committee to select the next dean of Applied Science.
Master of Engineering Leadership in Urban Systems
What has made your time at UBC the most memorable?
Through my lens, I see UBC as an inviting and collaborative learning space that not only focuses on academic excellence, but also explores and challenges the way we think, which is something that is rarely found in our working lives.
With this perspective in the back of my mind, I took the opportunity to led the UBC team in the national CanInfra challenge competition. Our multidisciplinary team, made up of students with backgrounds in civil engineering, project management, technology, politics and finance, competed in Toronto for the final competition. For me, this was the most memorable experience at UBC because it truly lived up to the “living lab” and “innovative” focus that makes UBC one of the best schools to study engineering.
How are you applying the skills you learned through your studies at UBC?
The technical and business skills I learnt from my time at UBC are quite useful for my career endeavors. But what really propelled me forward is the ability to understand impacts of next generation technology on infrastructure, a topic that was central to my studies.
Systems Thinking Can Change The World
How do you feel a graduate degree in engineering has benefitted you compared to a different field of study?
Engineering teaches us to think in a structured analytical way and a graduate degree helps us gain mastery over a specific topic. For me, these attributes formed the foundations to all pillars of my other skillsets, which opened the doors to great opportunities.
Where do you find your inspiration?
I would look back in time to our history and look forward to our future. In the past, scientists and engineers changed the world with their novel solutions. In the future, innovation such as Internet of Things, Blockchain and quantum computing will unlock remarkable opportunities. By exploring our past and future, I feel empowered to transform our world and this generates the impetus to motivate myself.
How will you go on to make a difference in our world?
There are so many ways I can make a difference in our world and right now I want to focus on infrastructure: my goal is to build infrastructure that is thoughtful — so that we can accommodate everyone’s needs — and innovative — so that we can bridge the gap to a better tomorrow.
