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!
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)
“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!”
“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!”
“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!”
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.