Hi! My name is Chris Tran, I am currently enrolled in the University of Waterloo’s Chemical Engineering program, and my expected graduation date is June 2023.
Waterloo Engineering in one word:
Limitless
I choose Waterloo Engineering because:
I want to see myself become an engineer who has all the knowledge and principles gained from my academic studies while also already having real-world experiences that my academic studies were applied to. When you graduate from UW, you’ll be confident that your skills and potential are of the highest calibre, and employers will know that for sure.
The best thing about my program is:
The versatility of chemical engineering. Chemical engineers are found throughout the world in a wide variety of industries from energy production, manufacturing, consulting, and the list goes on and on. Being a chemical engineer doesn’t mean you’re working only on “chemical” processes; you’re supporting the transformation and transportation of heat, mass, materials, and sorts of other processes. Chemical engineering here at Waterloo will enable you to explore all these different fields and will help you understand what industries and processes you’d love to get involved with!
About my Co-op experience:
My co-op experience were in many different industries ranging from polyurethane foam research & development, food processing/manufacturing, and even insurance. My most recent and memorable experience was at Procter and Gamble as an Engineering/Manufacturing Co-op, but more specifically as a Process Leader. I enjoyed my time here immensely as I was given high-impact projects & responsibilities that directly affected the company, and I was able to push myself to improve myself in all skills ranging from process management, loss elimination, and interpersonal communication. The experience was also truly memorable because of the other co-op students I had become friends with while on my work term as we did our best to have fun and make memories together!
I wish I had known before I came:
You can make friends with a simple “Hello!” University isn’t the same as high school, and everyone is in the same boat when you first enter. The university is extremely diverse in culture so no matter what, you’ll always be able to find people who share your same interests!
Also, make use of all the campus and department resources. As a new student, the campus provides many resources to familiarize yourself with the campus, and how to navigate campus. And as a first-year student, to build the best foundation for your studies, make sure to attend your lectures, tutorials, help sessions, and office hours! I know it sounds like a lot, but keeping a steady rhythm for the first year will act as a template for healthy studying/learning habits which you can adjust as you become more comfortable with your classes and more self-aware of what studying habits work best for you!
Lastly, USE YOUR STUDENT DISCOUNTS! I’m not lying when I say that as a University student, you’re able to save a lot when shopping for daily necessities such as groceries and food. If you’re not that eager to cook, then you probably know that eating take-out and ordering on delivery apps can take a toll on your wallet. Simply searching up student discounts online will give you a slew of resources and apps that you can use to save up some cash when buying a chicken shawarma wrap, burger combo meal, or your next cup of bubble tea.
Outside the classroom, I’m involved with:
Since my first year at UW, I have been one of my cohort’s academic representatives. This role requires me to act as a liaison between professors and students when it comes to information, concerns, or feedback regarding our courses and professor’s teaching styles. Proper communication is key to ensure a healthy relationship and learning environment for our classes!
A fun project I’ve completed:
For my main project in one of my technical electives (CHE 521 – Process Optimization), our group was given creative freedom to research an industry, identify a process or product, and implement an optimized version of the process and product given set constraints, variables, and requirements. Our group chose to optimize the production of commercial thermos containers. This required us to minimize the cost of production, while optimizing the dimensions, materials used, and heat transfer properties to meet the appropriate criteria and stay within our set constraints. What made this project quite fun was that we as a group were responsible for the entire project from start to finish. From the problem formulation, adequate constraints, and proper research and analysis, our group presented our project as a proposal. This experience was quite rewarding as it gave me valuable experience in project development and management!
One more thing about me:
I absolutely LOVE to eat and try lots of different foods, and I love listening to all sorts of music ranging from J-Pop to post-hardcore rock (Dance Gavin Dance is my favourite band)