A Waterloo Engineering professor challenged graduating students to think beyond technical success during this year’s …And One More Thing lecture, sharing her perspective on how prioritizing students’ development as good human beings empowers them to become good engineers.
Dr. Pendar Mahmoudi, an associate professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, is the recipient of the Faculty of Engineering’s 2025 Boyce Family Teaching Award. The award was established in 2023 and made possible by generous donation from the Boyce family.
Taking it back to basics
Mahmoudi’s speech had the overarching theme of inspiring Waterloo Engineering graduates to be responsible, politically informed, engaged, creative people above and beyond being an engineer.
Mahmoudi emphasized that taking care of personal needs first is essential for personal growth and for cultivating the motivation required to create meaningful change in the world. It all starts with the basics.
Her advice?
Invest in learning to cook like you are impressing a date; cooking doesn't include instant noodles. Prioritize sleep, splurging on a good mattress is worth it!
Find a hobby that you can be nerdy about. Grow and invest in a good support system. Have one friend for work advice, another for fashion advice, another for romantic advice. Make new friends and build a community.
Kick the imposter syndrome to the curb
Mahmoudi shared that everyone sometimes experiences impostor syndrome; she experienced it herself while preparing to give the lecture.
Addressing the students in the room, Mahmoudi said, “You are smart enough! You’re here, that’s already proof. I’ve met a lot of smart people, but not all of them are successful. You have to work hard, but the good news is you’re used to hard work, as you are about to become Waterloo Engineering graduates.”
She said perseverance, persistence and confidence mattered and encouraged students to look for work they genuinely enjoyed.
Mahmoudi also stressed the importance of keeping your word and holding yourself accountable. “You need to have strong moral principles, especially as engineers. You will have people’s safety and well-being in your hands. If you act with integrity and honesty, people will trust you,” she said.
The ...And One More Thing lecture is an annual event delivered to graduating students by the recipient of the Boyce Family Teaching Award.
Watch the full And One More Thing 2026 lecture by Professor Pendar Mahmoudi.
Dr. Pendar Mahmoudi (right) with Alan Boyce at the And One More Thing 2026 lecture.
Professor Pendar Mahmoudi with Owen Pastorius, a fourth-year chemical engineering student who delivered the lecture’s closing remarks, holding the rubber duck she used in office hours to help students talk through coding problems step by step.
