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Meet the EngSci Office

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The EngSci office is comprised of the people responsible for making Engineering Science a reality! They organize courses, students, Professors, external communication, internal communication, events, and more! So, without further ado, here are the people that make EngSci possible. 

Mandana Esmaeili

Mandana Esmaeili

Front Line Student Advisor and Office Administrator (On Leave) 

Mandana, currently on leave, is usually the first friendly face you see in the office, sitting at the front desk ready to help. As the Front Line Student Advisor, she can answer all your questions about schedules, courses and more. Mandana is the best person to ask your questions first. She often knows the answer but if she doesn’t, she’ll direct you to where you can get the answer. Mandana also writes the EngSci newsletters every week, summarizing all things going on in EngSci so that it is easy for you to stay up to date. You will start to get these newsletters in September; make sure you read them every week, because there is a lot of very valuable information condensed in there.  

As the office administrator, Mandana can also deal with issues in the Common Room, help EngSci-related clubs book rooms on campus for events, borrow technologies, and tell you what forms you need to fill out for certain activities. Mandana also knows the schedules of everyone else in the office, so if you’re thinking of dropping by for a quick appointment you can ask her when someone’s free.   

In short, if you don’t know who to talk to, ask Mandana and she’ll help you find where you need to go.  

Fun Fact: Her hobbies include photography and cinematography.

Cathy Pettigrew

Cathy Pettigrew

Front Line Student Advisor and Office Administrator (Acting) 

Cathy is our acting Front Line Student Advisor while Mandana is away. She can help with all your questions about courses, schedules and more, and can direct you to where you can find additional help. Cathy has experience working in education and adult learning and ran a small business for over a decade.  She has worked extensively with neuro-diverse clients and students, with for-profit and non-profit organizations. She is an alumna of the University of Toronto, and has fond memories of student life, which has made returning to the campus a full-circle moment. 

Most recently, Cathy has been counselling people living with ADHD, Autism, and learning challenges, providing mental health, academic, and pathways counselling, as well as conducting psychometric assessments to assist with diagnoses. She has served on various community initiatives, including a CIHR research study at the Institute of Better Health, and as a Special Needs Consultant for the Archdiocese of Toronto.

Cathy is an outgoing person and enjoys doing public speaking engagements, advocating for people living with special needs, and promoting strengths-based learning and inclusivity. 

Fun Fact: Cathy was offered the role of Glinda in the first national tour of Wicked but declined to join EngSci. 

Don Newton

Don Newton

Curriculum and Research Officer 

Most of Don’s work is behind the scenes but is crucial to providing EngSci students the opportunities to travel and perform summer research. Don works on curriculum changes for the program and collaborates on ensuring EngSci remains an accredited engineering program, which means you have the opportunity to pursue your engineering designation once you graduate from EngSci. Don also manages the Engineering Science Research Opportunities Program (ESROP), which is an EngSci-exclusive program that gives students the opportunity to do summer research at U of T and abroad.  

Fun Fact: Don has been to Hawaii 10 times and is hoping to one day establish an ESROP placement for students to conduct research there.  

Stephen Johns

Stephen Johns

Academic Advisor, Years 1 and 2, Domestic Students 

Stephen is our advisor for first- and second-year domestic students, which means he will be the person who supports you during both the transition into EngSci and, later, into your major. His role is like your guidance counsellor’s in high school. Stephen can advise you on Faculty rules and regulations, help you with scheduling issues, such as selecting your elective in second year, inform you on how certain minors can affect your degree, guide you through the process of selecting a major, and connect you with other campus resources, like academic resources and financial aid.     

Stephen is also well-versed around Faculty deadlines (like tuition fees or course drop dates) and resources (on-campus counseling services, health and wellness resources and learning strategists). When Stephen doesn’t know an answer, he can always direct you to someone that does.    

Another major part of Stephen’s role is aiding students with their holistic transition to university. Stephen is always available to meet with students to discuss time management, EngSci-specific study tips and other personal matters. If you ever want to have a conversation on whether you think EngSci is truly the right place for you, Stephen is always around to listen.   

Fun Fact: Steve has seen Pearl Jam 46 times and has seen The Phantom of the Opera 29 times; he will quote Hamilton during advising appointments, and if you don’t believe us, just you wait. Steve also once held season tickets to both the Toronto Blue Jays and the Minnesota Vikings.  

Irma Berardi

Irma Berardi

Academic Advisor, Years 1 and 2 (International) 

Irma’s role is very similar to Stephen’s, the main difference is she works with first- and second-year international students. Irma is well-versed with the resources available within U of T Engineering, and all of the academic regulations and policies, in addition to supporting international students transition into the program and to a new country as a whole. Irma is always available to meet with students to discuss their experiences in Canada and how the Engineering Faculty can better support them.  She can also help you get connected with the Centre for International Experience, and their Immigration Advisors if you have questions related to your study-permit.  

Irma also leads EngSci GEARS, also known as Guided Engineering Academic Review Sessions. GEARS Leaders are upper year students who were successful the first-year courses you may need help with; they are great resources as you transition into EngSci. These sessions take place weekly, and are designed as drop-ins, if you want to know more, just ask Irma!  

Fun Fact: Her cat’s name is Lana del Meow…can you guess the influence?  

Brendan Heath

Brendan Heath

Academic Advisor, Years 3 and 4

Brendan will be your academic advisor in third and fourth year, which means that he is well-versed in each of the major options and can provide support for you within your choice of specialization. When you get around to picking your major, Brendan is a great resource for learning about potential career paths (like industry or grad school). For some majors, your electives may cause course conflicts or you may want to take more courses than necessary (called “overloading”). Brendan can help you handle conflicts, get approval for overloads, plan for minors and understand when courses should be marked as extra credit. Topics related to graduation, like meeting your accreditation or complementary studies requirements, are also within Brendan’s considerable expertise.   

Fun Fact: Brendan grew up on an apple orchard in Quebec! He also started his undergraduate degree as a computer engineer at Waterloo but ended up graduating from Peace and Conflict Studies at U of T.  

Christina Heidorn

Christina Heidorn

External Relations Officer 

If you go to any EngSci events, you’ll be sure to see Christina helping run the show. She oversees events like the Engineering Science Education Conference (ESEC), which you’ll attend in your first two years in EngSci. You’ll hear exciting speakers from many engineering-related fields share their (sometimes surprising) career and life experiences.    

As EngSci’s External Relations Officer, Christina helps inform prospective students about EngSci (things like “What is EngSci?” or “What does it mean to be an EngSci?”).  Maybe you’ve seen her at one of our recruitment events this past year.  She also works with U of T Engineering’s huge online alumni network, U of T Engineering CONNECT. CONNECT is a platform you can sign up for once you become a student in the fall. It can help you get in touch with alumni for things like career advice, job opportunities and more!   

One way you can be a part of EngSci’s external relations is by signing up to be an EngSci Ambassador in September; keep an eye on your email for application instructions! As an EngSci Ambassador you volunteer at recruitment and promotion events to talk to prospective students about the program and your experiences.    

Fun Fact: Christina is an EngSci 9T1 graduate in the Chemical option (unfortunately it no longer exists) 😢.  She used to be a television documentary producer for programs like CBC’s The Fifth Estate, and she likes colorful shoes. 

Diane Giang

Diane Giang

Manager of Finance and Administration 

As manager, Diane is involved in various high-level tasks for EngSci. Diane manages the finance, human resources and operational needs of the Division. She works with the EngSci Club, and also helps support students that participate in the ESROP program, students that become TAs, and students that work for the EngSci Office at any time (as GEARS leaders, for example). An additional way she’ll directly work with you is when you submit a reimbursement form for a course project.   

Fun Fact: Diane enjoys playing board games, video games, and going on roller coasters with her kids.   

Kimia Moozeh

Kimia Moozeh

Senior Officer, Program and Student Experience

As part of her role, Kimia is involved in curriculum change/innovation, program review and enhancing student experience in Engineering Science. She is also involved in the accreditation process. Please feel free to contact her if you have suggestions/comments about the curriculum or the program.  

Student Discounts and Free Software

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From public transit and music streaming to CAD software, many companies offer free or hugely discounted services or software to university students that could help you save hundreds of dollars. It’s usually super easy to get these discounts – all you need is your University of Toronto email or TCard. Regardless of what you’re buying, always check for any discounts for (U of T) students. 

Free Software

For a complete list, check out this U of T Libraries site.

AutoDesk is a company that provides various computer software for engineering, such as AutoCAD. To access these products for free, go to this AutoDesk page, select your desired software, and follow the instructions given.

U of T provides Microsoft 365 for free. This gives you access to programs like Microsoft Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, and more, along with 1 TB of OneDrive storage. Once you have installed Microsoft 365 with your U of T account, you’ll be able to access all these programs both online and offline. To install it, check out the Microsoft support page.

MATLAB is a programming language for numerical computation and mathematical visualization. You will learn MATLAB in ESC103, and will most likely use it in CIV102 and many upper-year courses. By creating an account with your U of T email account, you can download the newest version of the software for free. You will also have access to the online version of MATLAB and MATLAB Drive.

Mathematica is like MATLAB for computer algebra instead of linear algebra; you can use it for numeric methods, symbolic computation, and more! By creating an account with your U of T email account, you get access to both Mathematica Desktop and Mathematica Online.

In programming, an integrated development environment (IDE) is a digital environment where you can code, with various features. JetBrains makes IDEs for different programming languages, including Python and C which you’ll use in first year. To access their products for free, all you need to do is register your account with your U of T email.

Certain classes will provide you with licenses to obtain specific software for free. You will first encounter this in Praxis II; in the second half of the course, the teaching team will provide you with a license for Onshape (a cloud-based CAD software). Some upper-year courses with specific software requirements will give you licenses.

Engineering design teams often provide various software licenses for their members to use for free. Examples include Altium, Ansys, Fusion 360, SOLIDWORKS, and much more! For more information, reach out to your (sub)team leads.

ECF computers have extra software for student use. All engineering undergraduate students can access these computer labs 24/7 (in-person labs may be affected by closures, but remote access is always available). This will be very useful in classes such as ESC190, where you might need to use certain software such as Valgrind (which can be very tricky to configure on your own computer). To access the free software hosted on ECF computers, go to the U of T Engineering remote access information page. Sign in with your UTORID and password, just like when you sign in to computers on campus. From there, you can see all the applications hosted on the computer and can use them freely.

General Student Discounts

These products/services relate to daily expenses and recreation.

Public transit services often offer discounts for students. For example, the TTC Post-Secondary Monthly Pass offers unlimited travel on the TTC for $128.15 per month. Here’s how you can apply for a GO Student ID. Check your transit provider’s website for more details.

Some subscription-based services, such as streaming services, offer significant student discounts. Examples Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Premium, and Amazon Prime. To find more platforms which offer student discounts, read this article by Rolling Stone.

In addition to regular back-to-school sales, tons of technology companies offer huge student deals on personal technology such as laptops, tablets, and more. For example, here are Apple’s student deals. Furthermore, check with your cellular provider to see if you can get a student discount on your phone plan.

Various restaurants/grocery stores will have student discounts; you just need to ask! They’ll probably ask to see your student ID, so make sure to always carry your TCard.

Theatres, concerts, sporting events, and museums might offer student discounts; make sure to check before you book!

Engineering Computing Facility

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The Engineering Computing Facility (ECF) provides computing services to students. On-campus, there are five Windows labs and three Linux labs with a total of 368 workstations. There are also some Windows computers in the EngSci common room. 

All engineering undergraduate students can access these computer labs 24/7. You can also access ECF workstations with their software and files remotely from your own computer via the Secure Shell protocol (SSH). This will be very useful in ESC190, in which you may need to use a debugging tool called Valgrind (which can be very tricky to configure on your own computer). By SSHing into an ECF workstation with a couple of basic commands, you can use Valgrind and many other tools right from your own computer. 

The ECF labs are equipped with comfy office chairs, big screens, and always have an available computer. These are nice places to study in between classes and work on assignments.

ECF Offices and Lab Locations [Source]

Using ECF Workstations

You will receive an email regarding setting up your ECF account in the Fall. You are required to set up your account to access ECF workstations, printing, and more. Account activation instructions can be found on this page: ECF Account Activation. 

All engineering students can print a limited number of pages for free at ECF printers. For your first-year EngSci courseload, you have 900 free pages of black-and-white printing per term, with a 25% discount for double-sided printing (i.e. 1200 pages). Color printing costs twice as much – keep this in mind if you need to print CIV102 notes, Praxis materials, or any other large documents. 

ECF workstations are equipped with tons of useful software such as MATLAB, SOLIDWORKS, VS Code, and more. If you ever need to use software that your computer can’t run, the ECF is the place to go! The details of these computers are listed on the ECF Website. 

ECF resources are strictly for academic use, so be sure to familiarize yourself with the ECF Account and Lab Rules and Regulations for Students. Using the workstations for unauthorized activities can result in serious consequences, including payment of damages, loss of computer access, and other sanctions. 

Additionally, ECF conducts random spot checks; if you’re caught with food or drink in the labs, your access will be revoked, and you’ll need to reapply to regain it. 

Petitions

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We get it, things don’t always go your way. Maybe you’ve been sick for the past few days, or you have two midterms and an assignment this week, or personal matters have got you too stressed to prepare well for that exam tomorrow. Don’t worry, everyone has been there before. You can thankfully seek accommodations for certain situations, and petitions are one of the primary ways of doing so. 

“A petition is your formal request for an exception to a Faculty or University rule, regulation or deadline. The University of Toronto acknowledges that students sometimes encounter unforeseen or uncontrollable circumstances that can severely interfere with their ability to fulfill their academic obligations.”  

Photo by Nguyen Dang Hoang Nhu on Unsplash

Types of Petitions

The three types of petitions that you can submit are discussed below. For the most up-to-date information about petitions at U of T Engineering, visit this site – About Petitions. 

Term Work Petition is applicable for term work such as, graded homework, midterms, quizzes, assignments, labs, etc. If you unavoidably missed a term work due to severe personal illness, personal or family crisis or other extenuating circumstances, you should discuss the matter with your instructor immediately. If necessary, you can submit a term-work petition through the Engineering Portal. The deadline to submit a term-work petition and the accompanying supporting documentation, if needed, is seven days after the missed or affected term work.  

Any final exam petitions and accompanying documentation should be submitted within seven days of your last examination. Keep in mind that the final exam petition cannot offer you an exemption from writing an exam. Deferred exams and re-writes for courses are also not standard practice in the FASE. If the petition is approved, you will likely be assigned an assessed mark based on closely supervised term work as compared to the closely supervised term work the rest of the class in relation to their final examination performance.  

When making a decision about submitting a final exam petition, you should consider how well you feel at the time of the exam, whether you can obtain supporting documentation for the petition, and how prepared you may feel for a possible later examination date. If you are having difficulties with a course, always speak with your professor/instructor. If they are unable to answer your questions, you should consult with your academic advisor.  

Special Consideration Petition can be submitted to request exemption from a faculty regulation. If you need clarification on any rules or regulations in the Academic Calendar, you should reach out to your Academic Advisor. Since you have to provide sufficient reasoning for the exemption, it is also highly recommended that you discuss with your Academic Advisor before submitting a petition for special consideration. 

Some of the reasons for submitting a petition are personal illness, illness or death of a close family member, personal or family crisis, or other extenuating circumstances. However, note that these are extenuating circumstances; petitions will not be granted due to personal carelessness. Note that U of T Engineering students may file one term-work petition per term without documentation (i.e. self-declare their own illness) for term-work valued at 14% or lower through the Engineering Portal. The petition may not cover term-work worth 15% or greater (without a Verification of Illness form) and cannot span a period longer than three calendar days. 

Upper Year Insights

Some of you might feel like you don’t need petitions, or that petitions are an unfair advantage. Of course, petitions should only be submitted when absolutely necessary, and by the end of the term, you would have still submitted the same assignments and completed the same exams as everyone else (so a petition would leave theoretically leave more work for you in the future). However, you should never avoid petitions out of principle. Even if you have a 4.00 GPA, you can submit a petition; petitions don’t relate to your academic abilities. Your health and wellbeing always come first. If you have any questions about petitions, be sure to book an appointment with your Academic Advisor. 

Engineering Communication Program (ECP)

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[Source]

Aside from being well versed in technical skills and scientific knowledge, a successful engineer must have excellent communication skills. They must be capable of communicating their ideas to people from many backgrounds in a concise and effective manner.  

However, communication is not easy to master on your own. The Engineering Communication Program (ECP) will help you develop strong communication skills that will serve you throughout your career. 

What Does the ECP Do?

The ECP provides integrated communication education and ensures that students can become top contributing professionals in their field. They provide many resources including the following.

Open to all undergraduate Engineering students, the ECP Tutoring Centre offers live online consultation with a tutor. You can also drop in during online drop-in hours and submit documents for review. 

If you want to pursue the Certificate in Communication, you can select from multiple elective courses offered by the ECP. While your Year 1 courses are scheduled for you, in the winter term of Year 2, you can choose one HS/CSS elective course. 

The ECP offers writing resources for students in their online handbooks. You can find general information and instructions on writing proposals, lab reports, referencing, oral presentations, etc.  

Contact ECP  

The ECP has two office locations, Room SFB670 in the Sandford Fleming Building and Room 723 in the Myhal Centre. For general inquiries, you can reach out to them following the instructions here. You can also book an in-person or online tutoring appointment with an instructor here.  

Online Learning Platforms

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“Velut arbor ævo.”

U of T’s Motto

Did you know? Quercus is the Latin genus name for the oak tree, which is an important symbol in U of T’s coat of arms. The symbol of the oak tree also reflects U of T’s motto, which translates to “may it grow as a tree through the ages.” 

Quercus

Throughout your time at U of T, you will use an online platform called Quercus. Quercus, based on the Canvas Learning Management Engine, hosts everything you will need for courses and other important modules, such as the EngSci Info Hub. 

Quercus course modules hold course syllabi, assignment submissions and feedback, grades, and important course announcements. Professors may also post slides or lecture material for classes, and other resources. If professors prefer to use different platforms to host their courses (such as a custom website), this information will also be on their Quercus page. There is also a Quercus (Canvas) mobile app for Android and iOS devices, so you can quickly check up on your courses on your and may make task management easier. 

Starting in September, you’ll also see the EngSci Info Hub on your Quercus Dashboard, where you’ll find EngSci-specific academic resources, events, summer internship/research opportunities, graduate school information, and more!  

Note: Some Professors may customize their Quercus layout. However, they are usually intuitive, and there will be a home page with instructions on navigating the course page. 

Sample Quercus Dashboard where you can find your courses and other resources like the EngSci Info Hub

While navigating the platform is quite intuitive, you can also refer to this video to learn how to use Quercus. For more information, consider the following resources:  

Turn all Quercus notifications ON! Quercus and your U of T email are the official channels through which professors, academic advisors, and the university will communicate with you. Important announcements will be sent to you through Quercus; it’s your responsibility to pay attention.  

Quercus (Canvas) mobile app for Android and iOS [Source].

Outlook Mail 

UTmail+ will be your official student email account. UTmail+ accounts end in @mail.utoronto.ca, and can be accessed through the Microsoft Outlook app on Windows, Android, iOS and macOS devices. All university correspondence is done through your UTmail+ account, so download the app on your laptop and cellphone to stay updated regarding course updates, grades, important announcements, and more. You can also have Quercus notifications sent to your UTmail+ inbox. 

Discussion Boards

Online discussion boards are used by professors to provide students with a forum to ask and answer questions about course content, assessments, administration, and more. Questions can be sent publicly to the entire class, or privately to the teaching team. For public questions, students and the teaching team can answer and ask follow ups. 

You can ask questions during office hours, tutorials, and/or after lectures; however, discussion boards are very helpful for seeking quick clarifications when preparing for assignments or midterms or revising tricky concepts. 

The most common discussion boards are Piazza and Ed Discussion. Don’t worry about signing up for these boards just yet: when classes start, your course instructors will permit you to access the course-specific discussion boards.  

Piazza Discussion Board [Source].

Note: Instructors will often have rules for what you can share on discussion boards. For instance, if you have questions about your specific solution for an assignment, you will likely not be allowed to create a public thread visible to all students. When in doubt, refer to the course syllabus or reach out to your professors. 

Discussion Board Tips

As stated above, make sure you’re allowed to post your question in the first place! General inquiries or clarifications for assignment questions will likely be allowed for public posts; however, if your question pertains to your particular solution, make sure that your post either won’t give away your answer or is sent privately to the teaching team. Consult the course’s syllabus for the discussion board rules! 

If you have a question, make sure you attempt to solve it before asking on a discussion board. Read through your notes, the textbook, or syllabus, or try a quick Google search. If you still can’t find an answer, then you can post your question and briefly outline how you’ve attempted to answer it (e.g. “I already checked my notes and the textbook, but I’m unsure how to approach this practice problem…”). 

Before you post anything, check other posts to make sure that nobody else has already addressed your inquiry. That way, you might find an answer to your question instantaneously. This also prevents redundant posts on the discussion board. 

If you posted something and ultimately solved it, post a follow up outlining how you were able to get it resolved. That way, students who may have the same question as you in the future have a post to refer to. This also helps the teaching team, as they can refer to your post when addressing student concerns and knowledge gaps in class. 

Discussion boards are places where all students can learn and engage with their peers. Whenever you make a post, you should write as though you are talking to someone in-person; ensure you use professional language, be patient, and don’t belittle anyone for their questions or answers. Common courtesy and constructive criticism are key! 

On discussion boards, everyone’s contributions are valuable! Try your best to provide insight into a question. If you’re an expert in the topic, take some time to help your peers, while refining your knowledge and communication. If you’re somewhat uncertain about your answer, don’t simply comment, “I don’t know.” Instead, make an honest attempt towards addressing the question and mention if certain aspects of your answer are limited or uncertain. Your contributions can be recognized by the teaching team (for better or for worse)! 

Grading and Assessments

Assessments for each course will be either marked by hand or scanned and then marked digitally, depending on the type of assessment and the instructor’s preferences. In Year 1 courses, tutorial quizzes are typically marked by your TAs by hand and the physical copies will be returned to you once marked. However, most midterms and final exams will be scanned and graded through online grading platforms such as Crowdmark and/or Gradescope. In addition, Gradescope is often used to submit assignments and problem sets for courses such as ESC180, ESC190, and MAT185. 

Crowdmark [Source]
Gradescope [Source]

Similar to the discussion boards, you do not have to sign up for these platforms just yet. Usually, your grades will be tied to your U of T email address, and once they are published by the professors you can access them by logging in to the appropriate platform with your U of T email. 

Note: Gradescope has two different instances – Gradescope.com and Gradescope.ca . Your accounts on each platform, and the associated courses and grade data will be separate and cannot be merged. So, if grades have been published for a certain course and you are not seeing that course when logged into Gradescope.com, try Gradescope.ca, and vice versa.  

Online Grading Tips

The transition from high school to university is challenging for everyone. If you receive a grade lower than expected, let it be a chance for you to read through all the feedback and determine your next improvement strategies. Similarly, if you are satisfied with your results, reflect on the process to understand which strategies were most effective and create a plan to continue your achievement. Remember, grades are only a fraction of your university experience!  

You can learn a lot about course content and test-taking strategies by diligently reviewing your graded feedback. Identify where you made errors or where you may have overlooked concepts and determine how to improve upon this for next time.  

If you want to request a regrade, you will have to specifically point out where you believe you deserve more marks and why; only then will your regrade request be considered by the teaching team. You can learn a lot about course content and test-taking strategies by diligently reviewing your graded feedback. 

Sometimes class-wide grading accidents happen. If you receive a shockingly low grade, it may be due to a grading error that wasn’t your fault. If this happens, respectfully notify the teaching team and they will resolve it as soon as they can! 

Course Content and Homework

Although Quercus is most often used by professors to share course content and accept assignment submissions, some professors may require you to access course content and/or submit textbook homework problems through an external online platform. Three such platforms used for Year 1 courses in previous years include McGraw Hill Connect, Top Hat, and Pearson eText. 

McGraw Hill Connect [Source]
Top Hat [Source]
Pearson eText [Source]

Note: While these platforms were used for courses in previous years, instructors may choose to structure course contents and assessments differently for Fall 2024. Always refer to the course syllabus and check in with your professors for the most up-to-date information. And in the meantime, feel free to browse the Fall and Winter Courses pages to know more about Year 1 courses.  

Collaborative Tools for Team Projects

Throughout your time at EngSci, you will work in multiple team projects, including the Praxis I and II Engineering Design projects, the CIV102 Bridge project, and many more. A lot of these team projects will include multiple deliverables, requiring you to store, share, and collectively work on documents, reports, and the like. OneDrive and Google Drive are two of the more popular options in terms of sharing files and documents.  

You can also use specialized platforms such as Overleaf (for writing physics lab reports or problem sets in LaTex), GitHub (for coding projects), and MATLAB Drive (for sharing and collaborating on MATLAB coding files). 

Overleaf LaTeX Editor [Source]
MATLAB Drive [Source]

For communications, you and your team can discuss which platforms work best. Historically, Discord has been a common choice for Praxis teams due to its comprehensive messaging, voice, video, and file-sharing capabilities. Clubs and design teams may use Discord, Slack, or Microsoft Teams. 

Research Tools

Research Databases

Throughout your academic and professional career, you will likely conduct a lot of research to learn about new topics, before writing reports, designing, etc. During your time at U of T, you will have free access to over 30 databases containing thousands of research papers, handbooks, academic journals, and conference proceedings. You can find a list of available databases on the Engineering and Computer Science Library here. This library and your status as a U of T student will be useful as you access any source, whether for Praxis or your thesis! If you want to develop your research skills or learn more about how to research a certain topic, you can reach out to the library research team here. 

RefWorks

When you are doing research for a project or report, chances are you will have to write a bibliography to cite your sources. While there are free online tools to generate citations, as an active U of T student, you can use the citation management tool ProQuest RefWorks to generate, store, and organize your sources more efficiently. 

ProQuest RefWorks [Source]

Online Courses and Certifications

If you want to learn more about something from the convenience of your computer, U of T offers a student plan for Coursera. Coursera is an online platform where universities and institutions from around the world can create online courses about literally any topic in existence, for anyone to learn from! From simple classes about Microsoft Excel to extremely technical concepts about computer architecture and machine learning, Coursera has something for everyone. As a U of T student, you have access to plenty of Coursera courses and certifications for absolutely free! 

Guided Engineering Academic Review Sessions (GEARS)

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GEARS are student-led drop-in sessions to help Year 1 and 2 students transition from high school into the Engineering Science program.  
 
GEARS helps you integrate learning strategies with the content you need to learn to solve problems in your classes. Upper-year students help you develop key academic skills and answer questions related to your courses, the Engineering Science program, and opportunities within the Faculty and the university at large.

EngSci GEARS Schedule

The GEARS schedule for the Fall/Winter Sessions will be posted on the EngSci Info Hub, our online hub for key program information. You will get access to the Info Hub at the beginning of the semester. You can also ask Irma any questions about GEARS! 

[Source]

Note: The Core 8 has its own version of GEARS, but the one you’ll see advertised in the EngSci Info Hub is specifically for EngScis.  

After first and second year, successful students are encouraged to apply for GEARS mentor positions to help the next generation of students! 

GEARS Mentors (2024 – 2025)

Daniel | EngSci 2T7 + PEY

“Hello! My name is Daniel Hong and I’m currently a second year Engineering Science student. I currently have interests in specializing into ECE, Machine Intelligence, or Robotics. Outside of engineering, I love biking around the city and playing basketball. I’m also a massive fan of hackathons and software development. Life to me is all about trying new things, focusing on the moment, and dreaming big. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out on any social media!”

“Hello everyone, my name is Ian and I am an EngSci 2T6 in the Robotics option and also pursuing a Bioengineering Minor. I am interested in advancing healthcare solutions that improve patient outcomes and reduce strain on the hospital system. This summer I am developing wearable bioimpedance monitoring systems at the SleepdB lab in the KITE research institute. In my free time I love to cook, read, climb, run, and swim. Hope to see you in GEARS and get to know more about you!”
Ian | EngSci Robo 2T6 + PEY
Jessica | EngSci Physics 2T6 + PEY

“Hi! My name is Jessica and I’m an EngSci 2T6+PEY, majoring in Engineering Physics starting this fall. Right now I’m really interested in radio astronomy and physics instrumentation! Outside of school, I like to read, gym, paddle dragon boat (go Iron Dragons!), and hold Calpico.”

“Hi 2T8’s! My name is Joseph and I am entering my second year of Eng Sci. You will probably see me around at many Eng Sci events as I am part of Eng Sci Club and hang around the common room a lot. Apart from school, I also paddle for U of T Skule’s Dragon Boat team, the Iron Dragons which is always recruiting! I also enjoy scouting new food places and bbt so let me know if you find any good spots to try. I look forward to answering all your questions and guiding you through first-year Eng Sci courses, the Skule community, or how to enjoy the Skule experience in general!”
Joseph | EngSci 2T7 + PEY
Pasha | EngSci ECE 2T6 + PEY

“Hi everyone, my name is Pasha. I’m a 2T6 and am going to be one of your GEARS mentors this year. After really enjoying EngSci’s circuits and electromagnetism courses in the foundation years I have chosen the Electrical and Computer Engineering major. I’m really excited to support you in achieving your academic goals this year and help you succeed in your transition into university. In my spare time, I like playing sports and watching movies. Hope to meet you all in GEARS sessions!”

“Hi everyone! I’m Rhianna, an EngSci 2T6 in the ECE option. This summer I did research at the Intelligent Sensory Microsystems Lab, where I worked on designing a testing PCB for an event-driven Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) with neural interface applications. During the school year you can find me in Engineers WIthout Borders as an Internal Director, in the UTWind Power Systems subteam designing a small wind turbine, and in the UTSM Aero-Structural subteam designing a hydrogen-powered car. In my free time I like to sing, play piano, and read. I can’t wait to meet all of you and I hope you come by with any questions you might have!”
Rhianna | EngSci ECE 2T6 + PEY

Benefits of Attending GEARS

As you are transitioning into your first year, you might find that your schedules don’t always allow you to thoroughly prepare for an exam. By attending GEARS sessions and talking to successful upper year students, you can learn how to better review materials and prepare for tests even during the busier weeks.  

Despite what its name suggests, GEARS isn’t just for academics. This is a place where you can get to ask upper years anything. EngSci tips? Major advice? Just ask! This is also a place for you to hang out and get to know your peers. 

With all the different assignments, labs, homework, and midterms, it can be difficult to find a regular study time to review material covered in recent lectures. Since GEARS sessions are weekly, you can use this time to do just that. And since all the sessions are drop-in, you are free to skip a session if you have a particularly busy week. 

Since GEARS sessions are led by current EngSci students, they can help you not only with learning course materials but also with advice on the most useful study skills for each course. For instance, some courses might require you to do practice problems often, while others may need you to spend more time understanding theoretical concepts. By chatting with upper-year students, you can develop these study skills and come up with a strategy that works for you. 

GEARS sessions are completely separate from your courses, i.e., no marks will be issued and your attendance will not be reported to your instructors. So you can drop-in for a full session or even part of a session when you have the time without worrying about your participation affecting your grades.  

Types of Classes

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Once you’ve received and interpreted your timetable, you may be wondering what you’ll actually be doing throughout your day. This page will teach you about lectures (LEC), tutorials (TUT), practicals (PRA), and office hours and what to expect for each one.  

Note: Not every course will exactly follow these descriptions; for example, some instructors may encourage more questions during lectures and fewer during tutorials. Make sure to follow the instructions given to you by your instructors. If you would like to learn more about how LECs, TUTs, and PRAs are structured for a particular course, check out the blog post for that course and read the “Week in the Life” section. 

Lectures (LEC)

  • Instructors: Professors

  • Session Length: 1 hour (may be longer in upper years)

  • Location: Lecture halls

  • Class Size: Around 150-300 students

  • Attendance: Highly recommended

  • Main Objective: Learn new concepts

In lectures, your professor will introduce you to new material. Your in-lecture experience will vary based on your professor; some prefer writing with chalk on a blackboard while talking (chalk-and-talk), some create PowerPoint slides, and some write digitally using a stylus while projecting to a screen. 

MP102, a lecture hall in the McLennan Physical Laboratories (MP), is where lectures for physics courses like PHY180 are traditionally held [Source]

It is important to find what works best for you, but we recommend attending all lectures. Paying attention to what the professor is saying during a live lecture is extremely valuable as it allows you to note down what you find most important, and more effectively retain concepts. You might think you can review a friend’s lecture notes later, but simply attending the lecture would more thoroughly teach you the content (potentially in less time than if you had to self-learn) and keep you up-to-speed with the rest of the course. Some of your courses will hold graded pop quizzes during lectures. Plus, lectures can be a great place to see your classmates and listening to your professors (who are experts in their respective fields) talk about engineering is a cool experience and a great privilege! 

Tip: if your professor posts slides or template notes beforehand, make sure to print or download them before class so that you can make annotations during lecture! Depending on the course or lecture style, you may have to change your notetaking methods. Take this as an opportunity to experiment with what works best for you. 

Tutorials (TUT)

  • Instructors: Teaching Assistants (TAs)

  • Session Length: 1-2 hours

  • Location: Classrooms

  • Class Size: Typically around 30 students

  • Attendance: May be mandatory

  • Main Objective: Practice, including completing examples based on lectures, asking any questions about the content, and completing quizzes (for marks)

A classroom on the third floor of the Myhal Centre, where you will have some tutorials. The rooms are designed for a small class in which collaborative learning takes place. [Source]

Tutorials are similar to a standard high school class of 20-30 students, except instead of learning new content, you will practice concepts which were introduced in lecture. Most TAs will use tutorials to go through sample problems, go over complex concepts from class, introduce interesting applications, or just answer your questions.  

Tutorials will likely be the time where you’ll have quizzes or hand in problem sets (if applicable). TAs will usually recommend working with your classmates at your table in completing various practice problems, and encourage you to share your results with others or seek guidance. Some tutorials will hold attendance or quizzes that will count towards your grades, so ensure you attend regularly, and come to them prepared! 

We very strongly recommend you attend every tutorial. They are invaluable in helping you review and understand all concepts and are the ideal way to fill in gaps in your knowledge and gain a lot of experience solving exam-style questions. The TAs are often senior EngScis or master’s students, and are there specifically to help you, so do not pass up on these amazing opportunities! 

Practicals (PRA)

  • Instructors: TAs and Lab Coordinators

  • Session Length: 3 hours or less (depending on how quickly you finish your work)

  • Location: Experimental or Computer labs (ECF)

  • Class Size: Around 40 students or less

  • Attendance: Usually mandatory

  • Main Objective: Apply your learning into the real world!

The activities during your practicals will heavily depend on the course. For example, Practicals for courses such as PHY180 and Year 2 physics courses will require you to conduct experiments, while practicals for courses like Praxis I, II, and III will often have a similar structure to their tutorial counterparts. 

An apparatus in the thermodynamics lab of the Mechanical Engineering building, in which you will have labs for CHE260, a second year thermodynamics course.

Additionally, some courses will require you to write lab reports based on the experiments or work done during practicals, while others will not. For experiment-based practicals, such as PHY180, the sessions may not be mandatory every week, or you may have mandatory practicals every other week. In these cases, make sure to note which weeks are mandatory for you, as this may differ from your peers in the same lecture cohort. 

Office hours

  • Instructors: Professors and/or TAs

  • Session Length: Varies

  • Location: Instructor’s office, classrooms or virtual

  • Class Size: Varies

  • Attendance: Optional

  • Main Objective: Ask questions about course material, upcoming exams/assessments, etc.

Office hours are specific times during the week when you can get extra help directly from professors and/or TAs, typically held in the instructor’s office or through a virtual meeting. These will not be included in your timetable and are instead set by instructors of each course individually. At the beginning of the term, professors will usually confirm with students which time slots are available in their timetable and schedule office hours accordingly. 

Some instructors host additional office hours right before major assignments, midterms and/or exams, which is especially helpful since the instructors are usually the ones who make the exams! If nobody has any questions about the material, you can use office hours to speak with your professors about their work and research, which can help you learn more about a certain topic or field that piques your interest (and potentially open the door to some opportunities later on). You will get more information about office hour schedules at the beginning of the semester. 

School Supplies

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The right school supplies are essential to your university student experience. You’ll use them to take notes in lectures and tutorials, complete problem sets and practice questions, perform calculations and engineering design, and much more! In this post, we have compiled a list of important supplies and how they can be used in EngSci.  

Digital School Supplies 

Laptop – Operating Systems 

A laptop can be very useful throughout your time at university as you can carry it around for lectures, online meetings and schoolwork. Some students also take notes with laptops, using markdown, LaTeX, etc. A potential upgrade to this setup would be to buy an external mouse and a pair of headphones (especially if you are commuting). Given the amount of time you’ll spend on your laptop, these investments will pay for themselves through increased comfort, usability, and convenience over the next few years.  

In terms of operating systems, a Windows or MacOS laptop is recommended by U of T for remote/online learning. While you will most likely have in-person classes this year, a Windows or MacOS based laptop will still do you well, especially when it comes to using specialized software. If you are not sure which OS to choose between Windows and MacOS, here is a pros and cons comparison of the two based on your blog admin’s experiences: 

Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash
Windows
MacOS
Pro: Windows is compatible with almost any computer program, including most engineering software you may need in EngSci. Con: Many engineering design and simulation software, such as SOLIDWORKS, Altium, etc. are not compatible with MacOS.
Con: Windows laptops may include certain features that add to the overall price but may not be necessary for everyone (e.g., premium antivirus software, high refresh rate screens, RGB backlit keyboards, etc.). As an engineering student, powerful processing and graphics features can be very useful. However, keep in mind that these extra features might lead you to pay for more than what you actually need. Pro: While some Macs may be more expensive, they are generally more fundamental (i.e. there are fewer potentially “useless” software and hardware features).
Pro: If you are hoping to use another OS on the same device, virtual machines and dual-boots are easy to set up on a Windows system. Con: If you have an Intel-based Mac, you can set up a Windows partition on your hard drive and use both Windows and MacOS on the same device (however, this requires partitioning the drive, and you can only use one OS at a time). Most modern Macs use Apple silicon, which prevents dual booting in the first place.
Con: Windows devices may not have direct integration with your phone. Pro: If you have other Apple devices, the convenience of your workflow is greatly improved; you can better integrate/transfer your data and files between them, and various iPhone apps can be accessed on Mac, and vice-versa.

Note: If you already have either a Windows or a MacOS laptop, switching to another OS solely for specific software is not required. In the rare case that OS-specific software is required, you can use workstations in the Engineering Computing Facility (ECF) labs as well as remote login even when you’re away from campus. 

Laptop – Technical Specifications

Throughout your time at EngSci, you will use various engineering software inside and outside of the classroom that require above-average computing power. You will soon find yourself checking the specifications requirements for various computer programs. Below, we have listed some minimum and recommended specifications based on commonly used software in EngSci, to help you determine whether you need to upgrade your laptop. 

*Note: many students use their laptops for additional tasks such as computer gaming. If you are interested in doing so, you might want to consider laptop specs more powerful than those listed below, as games are typically more resource-intensive (and new games increasingly so). Typically, if a laptop is good for gaming, it will be more than enough for your engineering work; we recommend you do your own research to learn about these topics. For anything regarding computer specs, you can also ask the Blog Admins; they both have experience with Mac/Windows, laptops and PCs, gaming, and more.

If you decide to major in Electrical and Computer Engineering, you will learn all about Central Processing Units (CPU) and even how to design them in ECE352 Computer Organization. For now, when looking at processor details, you want to pay attention to the architecture type, number of cores and clock speed. 

Most windows-based systems will use either Intel or AMD x86 architecture processors. Either will be just fine, but you want to make sure that it is a 64-bit processor as most CAD (Computer Aided Design) software only runs on 64-bit systems.   

For MacOS based systems, if you are buying a new MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, the only options are Apple M2 and higher chips, which will cover most of your needs. If you have an older intel-based MacBook, a processor with at least 4 cores and 2 GHz clock speed will suffice. These are close to the minimum CPU requirements of Autodesk Fusion 360 which have been used by students in Praxis III in previous years. One of your blog admins uses a 2020 MacBook Pro with a 2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 processor, and they have not had to install software for courses in Year 1 and 2 that requires more high-performing CPUs. 

A processor with 6 or more cores, and a clock speed of 3.5 GHz and higher will serve you quite well (usually, the recommended system requirements will require at least 6 cores). 

RAM or Random Access Memory is the storage that your CPU uses to temporarily store and access information. So, more RAM will allow your laptop to run more applications simultaneously without slowing down.  

While 4 GB of RAM is deemed the minimum on the U of T Recommended Technology Requirements page, we recommend at least 8 GB, with 16 GB being ideal (anything beyond that might be overkill). MATLAB’s System Requirements, which you’ll use for ESC103, CIV102, and many other EngSci courses, also suggest these minimum and recommended values.  

Note: When checking software system requirements, note that if a software lists 8 GB as the minimum and your laptop has just 8 GB, avoid running multiple other programs simultaneously to prevent slowing down. 

As a U of T student, you will have access to Microsoft 365 for your personal workstations and an associated 1TB OneDrive storage. This will be more than enough to store your course materials. For reference, one of your blog admins used only 100 GB of the available 1024 GB for Year 1 and 2 course material. You can use other methods such as Google Drive for additional storage. 

That being said, you will still need local storage for installing software. MacBooks usually start with 512GB SSD storage which will be enough if you are using it mostly for schoolwork. But if you think you will need more storage for personal projects and such, a 1TB SSD is optimal. Overall, an SSD (solid state drive) is recommended over an HDD (hard disk drive).  

When checking disk space requirements of software, keep in mind that some software will allow you to install the main application without all add-ons, saving disk space. However, consider the disk space required for a complete installation with all plug-ins, as you may need to install these later – which is very true in the case of MATLAB and it’s library of Add-Ons. 

In your upper years or when working in design teams, you might need to render complex CAD models that require high-end graphics processing units (GPUs). Other simulation programs, and especially machine learning computations, will require strong GPUs and potentially CUDA-compatible GPUs. However, in those cases, the ECF (Engineering Computing Facility) workstations will usually suffice, which you can log into remotely as well. Some design teams also have their own computers with dedicated graphics cards and high-end CPUs that members can use. Furthermore, there exist cloud services such as Google Colab which can be used for machine learning. 

Modern laptops have relatively decent integrated graphics, however, getting one with a dedicated GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) would future-proof your device and allow you to do graphic-intensive renderings in upper years, if needed. Most NVIDIA GPUs are CUDA-compatible. 

Tablet and Stylus

Many students use a tablet and stylus for notetaking. Common setups include an iPad and Apple Pencil, or Microsoft OneNote with a stylus (certain laptops such as Microsoft Surface Pros can double as laptops and tablets).  

brown and white long coated small dog wearing eyeglasses on black laptop computer
Photo by Cookie the Pom on Unsplash

We suggest carefully reflecting on your learning style to determine if a digital method is for you! Often, students start with paper notes and transition to tablets later in the year. Here is a pros and cons comparison of the two based on your blog admin’s experiences: 

Tablets
Paper
Pro: Tablets greatly help with organization; they keep all of your notes digitally and cloud backups enable you to access them with any device. Con: To access your notes, you will need to carry around all your notebooks and stationary. Furthermore, you will need to print various assignments.
Pro: Digital notes are easily searchable and allow you to include internal and external links related to the content Con: Links to online materials will need to be stored separately and searching through handwritten notes can be difficult based on our individual organization methods.
Con: Can be very expensive; iPads will need to be purchased in addition to a computer. Touchscreen/2-in-1 laptops cost more than their regular counterparts. Digital pens are typically not included in purchases. Pro: Apart from a notebook and pencil, taking notes on paper is significantly cheaper.
Con: Devices can run out of battery power at inopportune moments. All lecture halls, tutorial rooms, labs, etc. will have charging stations at every desk to combat this issue. But you will still need to carry around a charging block and cables. Con: While it does not require power, you will still have to carry multiple notebooks or loose leaf paper for taking notes during lectures. If you are not regularly restocking, you may run out of loose leaf papers at inopportune moments as well.
Pro: Notetaking apps allow you to move, resize, erase, modify, and change absolutely anything in seconds with only a few taps (no more eraser dust, different colors of highlighters, and frustration that your answer didn’t fix in the box provided). Con: Sometimes professors may erase or change the content they’ve written on the blackboard, needing you to make modifications to your notes. With handwritten notes that means using an eraser or striking through, which can become frustrating over time.
Con: For certain courses, you will need to write your own aid sheets to bring with you to exams. Professors will often require you to write them on paper rather than digitally. Pro: When preparing for midterms and exams, creating a handwritten aid sheet can help you engage with the content. If you’re accustomed to digital notes, however, handwriting might be initially frustrating as it requires more planning.
Pro: Lecture slides, files, and images can be easily inserted to be written-on directly, and you can export notes to PDFs without needing to scan. Pro: Quizzes and exams will all use paper, so using paper for notes and practice will effectively help you prepare for a real exam-style setting. A convenient setup is using a laptop to display the assignment questions, and working through the problem on paper

Internet

On U of T campus, you will have access to school WiFi. Off-campus, UTORvpn can be used for accessing resources restricted to on campus networks. 

U of T Approved Calculator

Left: Casio FX-991EX calculator; Right: Sharp EL-W516 calculator [Source]

You can find a list of allowed calculators for assessments and exams on the U of T Engineering Undergraduate website, and in the Guide to First Year.   

Based on our experience, the Casio FX-991EX and the Sharp EL-W516 are both effective calculators. Keep in mind that calculators in EngSci are almost always used for simple calculations – so your choice of calculator will not greatly impact your success in the program.   

Traditional School Supplies

Notebooks and Binders

Notebooks or binders are crucial if you plan to take your course notes with pen and paper. Depending on how many notes you take, your writing style, font, etc., you will range from 150 pages to 500 pages per semester. Many students use notebooks and binders for lectures, scrap work, and practice problems. This can be an efficient method of storing notes. 

Another physical alternative to notebooks is binders. Here is a pros and cons comparison of the two based on your blog admin’s experiences: 

U of T Notebook
Notebooks
Binders
Pro: Notebooks keep all notes in a sequential order, making it easy to find information from specific lectures. Con: If you are not regularly organizing your notes into the correct categories in your binders, information from specific lectures may be difficult to locate.
Con: Not as flexible in terms of storing additional materials, such as the occasional handwritten quizzes, printed handouts from lectures, etc. Pro: You can keep your handwritten quizzes in a binder for easy reference when studying for midterms/exams.
Pro: Instead of needing to manage many individual sheets of paper, you can keep track of your notes based on sections in your notebook. Pro: Binders offer flexibility – you can move papers around and insert pages into existing categories without having to start a new notebook.
Con: Can be bulky if you are carrying separate notebooks for all your classes. Pro: You can simply carry a pack of loose-leaf papers to your classes and then sort them into the relevant categories in your binders.

The takeaway is that the best system is the system that works for you. Some people will use notebooks, others will use binders – and some may not use paper at all!  

Stationery

You should bring pens, pencils, erasers, and rulers. Optionally, you can also purchase set squares, protractors, and compasses. 

Invest in good pens. For many midterms and exams, submissions in pencil are not eligible for regrade requests, though pencils may be allowed for diagrams. Pencils are useful for scrap work, math, and drawings, but some prefer tablets.   

Rulers are important in exams for drawing charts and diagrams. For classes, a ruler can keep your notes straight, draw that perfect truss bridge, or create the cleanest Cartesian plane axis. 

Textbooks

Most courses will use a textbook for problem sets or just course material. Having the textbook is (usually) not mandatory, and it’s often up to you to decide how often you want to use it. It is recommended to check with your professors during the first week of classes before purchasing one! 

Personal Take #1: Historically, some courses (e.g. PHY180) have required students to purchase textbooks for online homework. However, make sure to check with professors to see if there is a homework-only option. In previous years, students were often offered a textbook + online submission package for ECE159 but were able to get only the access codes for homework for a cheaper price by emailing the professor. 

Personal Take #2: If you really want a physical copy, you should consider getting the Stewart textbook, which is used in Calculus I and II in first year (ESC194 & ESC195), as well as in second year (AER210). You can also find extra copies of older editions in the common room.  

Stewart Calculus Textbook used in ESC194, ESC195 and AER210

Backpack or Bag

No matter how you study, you’re probably going to need a solid backpack or bag to bring all your supplies to class. The size and type of bag that’s right for you will vary depending on your study strategy and learning style. If you’re planning to just bring a tablet for note taking you can select a small compact bag. However, if you are bringing every one of your notebooks/textbooks in, you will need a heavy-duty backpack with industrial straps. Regardless of your pick, we recommend a bag or backpack that fulfills these requirements: 

  • Water resistant material to help keep all your electronic devices safe in case of a downpour 
  • Comfortable straps and padding so that your walks to class don’t ruin your posture 
  • Quick-access pockets so you can easily access your T-Card, keys or PRESTO cards 

Other Organizational Materials 

The list we’ve compiled above is not fully comprehensive and may not be exactly right for you. We recommend that you explore around for tools, supplies, and other resources that help keep you organized. Many students love to highlight their notes using a variety of neon colors, some mark each page in the textbooks with different tabs, and some like just writing everything down in a plain old notebook. The supplies that you need are the ones that will help you study and stay organized the best, so keep an open mind and try some new things until you find the right strategy for you. 

About Blog Admins

Posted on by orientation

Eshan Sankar

About Me: Hi! My name is Eshan, an EngSci 2T7 who will be entering my second year in September. As of now, the EngSci majors in which I am interested include Robotics and Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE). I am from Calgary, Alberta, and have lived in Calgary and the Greater Toronto Area for my entire life. In my spare time, I enjoy exercising, playing video games, and scrolling through LinkedIn.  

Why I Chose EngSci: I’ve loved technology all my life, so during high school, I knew that I wanted to study something related to ECE or mechatronics in university. However, I also had other interests and overall, I was passionate to learn about many new things. Therefore, I selected EngSci so that I could major in Robotics or ECE and specialize in the concepts to a great extent, while still having an opportunity to explore many new fields of science through a holistic learning experience. I also appreciated the option to consider other innovative majors such as Aerospace and Machine Intelligence!  

My EngSci Experience: Personally, I went through first year with a growth-oriented mindset, intending to learn what I was capable of; I tried my hardest in all my classes while ensuring that I prioritized learning outcomes and devoted time for other endeavours. Outside of school, I worked on embedded systems for the University of Toronto Robotics Team (UTRA), which allowed me to further expand my practical skills. Overall, my best advice is to give a worthy effort in everything you do; having the right mindset is the most important factor towards success!  

EngSci classes have an appropriate breadth and depth that really make you feel like you’re learning more valuable topics, without being overwhelming. For example, in Praxis I and II we are given free rein to identify our own stakeholders and engineering opportunities, which was initially challenging, but made for a very enjoyable experience since we were working on projects that were meaningful to our group.

Finally, EngScis have a great sense of community; not only does the cohort system allow us to more strongly connect with our peers and make friends, but overall, EngScis are friendly, while still being extremely talented and motivated people.   

That’s all from me! If you ever need academic or professional advice, or just want to chat about something random, feel free to reach out! 

Farzin

About Me: Hello 2T8s! My name is Farzin, and I am an EngSci 2T6 – I have just completed my 2nd year of EngSci and will be starting in the Aerospace Engineering Major this fall. Outside of academics, I enjoy playing classical guitar, consuming too much media, and designing solar cars. 

Why I Chose EngSci: The Aerospace Major! I have always been fascinated by all things related to Space. So, when I decided to move to Canada a few years back, I knew I wanted to study Aerospace Engineering at U of T. After moving here though, I ended up taking a few gap years and working in the tech industry. And even though this job took me in a completely different direction, I learned a ton of new things about problem-solving, providing technical support, coding, and had the opportunity to work with some amazing people. I also realized that there are other areas beside Aerospace that interests me. And since EngSci gives you the opportunity to explore all the different engineering disciplines in the first two years, it was the perfect fit. 

My EngSci Experience: Course-content wise, I found that a lot of the first-year courses, such as ESC180, PHY180, and ESC103 are taught from the ground up and/or start with a review of the relevant high school courses. This really helped me since I was coming back to school after taking a break.  

During my first year, the toughest part was figuring out study strategies for each course and managing my time better. So, I decided to focus just on academics and not get involved in extracurriculars right away. This gave me a chance to check out all the design teams and clubs from a distance and hear from people about their experiences. And then over the summer after first year, I started working with the Aerodynamics team at Blue Sky Solar Racing. 

During first year, I really enjoyed ESC190 and MSE160. But my favourite courses in EngSci so far have been the 2nd year courses – AER210 Vector Calculus & Fluid Mechanics and ECE253 Digital and Computer Systems. AER210 is divided into two parts. In the vector calculus section, all the calculus you learn in first year is expanded into higher dimensions and you get to work with spherical and cylindrical coordinate systems. This means that some of those long integrals from first year can now be solved in just a couple of lines! In the fluid mechanics section, you take a more mathematical approach to understanding how fluid behaves. And if you’re lucky, you might even get to design your own theoretical wind tunnel in one of the problem sets! 

Overall, being in EngSci gave me the opportunity to explore such a wide variety of subjects that I wouldn’t have encountered in any one Core 8 program. And even though it can be challenging at times, everyone here is always up for a challenge and to lend a helping hand. The sense of community in EngSci can help you get through even the most stressful weeks. 

That’s all from me for now. But if you ever want to talk about courses, extracurriculars, career, your favourite shows, or just life in general, you know where to find me!