Introduce yourself briefly:
Hi there, my name is Ryan Mark, and I’m studying Mechatronics Engineering and anticipate graduating in 2025. I enjoy problem solving and everything the University of Waterloo has to offer!
Waterloo Engineering in one word:
An “eye-opening” experience
I choose Waterloo Engineering because:
1) The diversity in experience collected from potentially six different co-op experiences.
2) The strong reputation in North America and connections with major technology companies in the United States.
The best thing about my program is:
The interdisciplinary aspects of my program where we take courses from multiple engineering programs: Mechanical (MME), Electrical and Computer (ECE), and System Design (SYDE) courses. By learning a few different fields by taking a variety of courses, it gives me more time to decide what I want to specialize in in the upper years which I like. As well, oftentimes engineering problems require a diverse background to solve it.
About my Co-op experience:
My experience thus far in co-op has been diverse and great. I have tried a design, research, and manufacturing co-op and have learned more about the engineering discipline. As well, my co-op experiences and knowledge from my courses have complemented nicely together. Experiential learning continues to be highly rewarding for me, and I am excited about my co-op journeys in the future.
I wish I had known before I came:
I wish I was told to join design teams at the start of university. Design teams are highly rewarding and provide great training for co-ops. It is also quite enjoyable to work together with like-minded engineering students towards the common goal.
Outside the classroom, I’m involved with:
● UW Engineering Society - Photography and Website Director
● UW Engineering Orientation Week
● UW Mars Rover Design Team
● Computer Science Club
● Scouts Canada - Group Leader
A fun project I’ve completed:
For my mechanics of deformation course (MTE 219), I designed a wooden truss with a few classmates. This was our first in-person project after a year of being online from the covid-19 pandemic, and my teammates were great. We designed the bridge using theory learned from class, laser printed, and tested our bridge design, and we were able to exceed the course requirement by 324 times. A great project to end my 2A term.
One more thing about me:
I enjoy photography and take photos for the engineering society and computer science club!