January 27, 2023
Meet Daniel!
Hey there, I'm Daniel and I am a 4B Mechanical Engineering student.
Throughout my time at Waterloo, I have always been on a design team. My first experience in a Design Team was with Waterloop (the hyperloop team), where I was the Aerodynamics Lead and helped design their current pod.
Later on, I joined the UW Formula Motorsport team, where I help to design and manufacture an open wheel style race car.
Why did you choose Waterloo Engineering?
I chose UWaterloo because of its outstanding co-op program and its amazing Engineering programs.
I knew this program was for me by seeing where Waterloo Engineering students were doing their co-ops and their accomplishments.
I knew that in the real-world, experience is key. So, the coop program would give me a competitive advantage above other new graduates.
In addition, co-op would strengthen my network and provides income to assist with tuition/school payments.
What has been your favourite thing about your program so far?
The student design teams and the passion my fellow students share are the best things so far. I couldn't have imagined just how awesome it is to work with 20 other students towards a goal of making a hyperloop pod or race car and making it work and go fast.
Your favourite co-op experience?
I've had many good coops experiences, but two stand out the most:
1) I worked at Tesla as an Aerothermal Engineer. I was an Aerodynamicist that designed the ducts and vent for the HVAC system inside current and future Tesla vehicles. This was incredibly hard, and if you've ever seen the interior of a Tesla, you would see that it is not as easy as a traditional automaker's vents.
2) I worked at a drone startup called Zipline, as an applied Aerodynamicist. In that role, I assisted in designing Zipline's next generation drone, as well as designing new sensors that increased sensing accuracy by orders of magnitude.
The best thing about both of these roles was the fact that I was not treated as an intern but was rather treated as a full-time employee that was a part of the team.
Advice for first year/incoming students?
Just like with anything, you get out what you put in.
Participating in the design teams at Waterloo has made the experience go from good to amazing. Get involved and put yourself out there, try new things, and have a learning attitude in and out of the classroom.