Members of MME student team that won three awards at this year’s Ontario Engineering Competition held February 8 - 10 at McMaster University. From left to right; Andrew Zwart, Matt Rendall, Simon Lancaster-Larocque, and Kenneth Lee.
The Waterloo Engineering students who won three awards at this year’s Ontario Engineering Competition held February 8 to 10 at McMaster University speak of the engineering education experience at the University of Waterloo. The MME team of mechanical engineering students Andrew Zwart, Ken Lee, Matt Rendall, and Simon Lancaster-Larocque placed first in the innovative design competition and third in the senior team design category.
"It has been a privilege to attend a school like Waterloo. It is old enough to have a great reputation as the best engineering school in Canada, but has managed to encourage students in developing innovative approaches to solving standard goals. The innovative approach is clearly seen in the willingness of professors to develop and offer special topics courses to students tailored to meet specific technology development goals.
Waterloo has encouraged entrepreneurship while providing an excellent network of mentors and opportunities to hone negotiating skills while starting a business. If Waterloo continues to develop innovative ways of encouraging entrepreneurship, a world of opportunity will be available to both the school and future students."
Andrew Zwart
Now, MASc student, Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo
"Waterloo brings out the best qualities in you, from being a hard worker to being innovative every chance you get. You become a leader by doing things first, and doing things first-hand with the top leaders in the field."
Kenneth Lee
Now, MASc student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
"During my undergrad I had the privilege of working in a variety of industries, each presenting me with unique challenges. The need to adapt has provided me with a solid foundation and a flexible skill set. As a result, I feel I am better equipped to succeed in a world where the competitive pressures of a global marketplace are ever increasing.
UW is one of the only schools in North America that lets its students keep all rights to their intellectual property. This is one of the many ways UW continues to foster entrepreneurship. Using the knowledge gained during undergrad I was able to patent a technology and I now own a company with 3 other recent UW grads.
No matter how hard I try, I can't fit all the experience UW has given me on a 2 page resume."
Matt Rendall
Now, graduated from the Master of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology (MBET) program, University of Waterloo, startup co-founder, and CEO of Clearpath Robotics
"Going to Waterloo was definitely the best five fulfilling and fun, yet challenging years of my life. Do not get me wrong, Waterloo Engineering was not easy, and the accomplishments I achieved only came with perseverance and hard work. The brilliant minds at Waterloo have taught me to keep busy in productive ways and have inspired me to accomplish things I never thought I could; I have turned class material into knowledge, knowledge into empowering work experience, successful work terms into ideas, ideas into inventions, inventions into patents, patents combined with friends, passion and innovation into a successful start-up business. Waterloo Engineering, the outstanding coop program as well as the nurturing environment contributed to the start of working at a world class technology firm and the start of a promising life journey."
Simon Lancaster-Larocque
Now with Apple Computers, California