"It was the opportunity to apply math and science to solve real world problems that made me decide on engineering."
Emma D’Alessandro
- Degree: Bachelor of Applied Science
- Grad year: 2019
- Program:
- Campus: Vancouver
Job title as of April 2023: Materials & Sustainability Engineer at Boeing
Why did you want to study engineering?
I took a course in high school about the fundamentals of engineering. It was my first exposure to engineering and I loved it. I’ve always had a passion for building things and questioning why things are done certain ways. That curiosity was really aligned with engineering.
Why did you choose Materials Engineering?
Materials Engineering interested me because it was very flexible and offered a broad range of opportunities on what you could do afterwards. Any company that makes something – be that Amazon, Boeing or automotive companies – will need materials engineers. There’s a lot of innovation and excitement going on in this field.
What was your experience like as an international student?
I participated in the Jump Start program alongside other international students, and it was very helpful with some of those basic challenges you face when moving to a new country, like setting up a bank account or phone plan. UBC offered a lot of support.
One of the cool things about UBC is that it really does feel like its own city. It's wonderful to get out and explore Vancouver and have all the amenities of a large city in terms of entertainment. But if you're not ready for that, you can get everything you need close at hand.
What are the highlights of your job?
I like being able to combine the knowledge that I gained in school and from my previous jobs with my personal passion of working towards environmental sustainability.
I get to participate in making change within the company, and also have opportunities to have some influence within the industry. I get to work with amazing people who are incredibly passionate, and knowledgeable about what they do.
Why do you think the mentoring program is helpful?
I wish I had taken advantage of this as a student. It would have been helpful to talk to people who are actually working in industry as I think it would have helped me plan my career path. Luckily, I had some work experiences that helped me identify my interests. But if I hadn’t had those experiences or really talked to people working in the field, I think it probably would have taken a few jobs out of college to figure out what I wanted to do