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!
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.
GEARS Mentors (2026 – 2027)
Andy, 2T8
Bio: Hello everyone, my name is Andy and I’m an EngSci 2T8 in the Robotics Engineering option. This past summer I developed and built a road surface sampling robot at Imperial College London as part of the ESROP — Global program. I was also the 1st and 2nd year class rep for our class, so I can say I know quite a bit about the program in general. Feel free to reach out and ask me anything about the EngSci experience 🙂
Ablah, 2T8
Bio: Hi! My name is Ablah, I’m an EngSci 2T8 student in the Electrical and Computer Engineering option. This summer I was part of SimPL at UBC working on validating inertial measurement units used in instrumented mouthguards worn by contact sport athletes through the ESROP Global program. Outside of classes I’m a big fan of textile crafts, web and game development, the horror genre, and cooking. Looking forward to meeting you, feel free to reach out!
Alvin, 2T9
Bio: Hey everyone! My name is Alvin, a 2T9 EngSci that is very interested in Control Systems, Computer Vision, and Machine Learning especially in robotics. This summer, I’ve been doing research at SFU related to Autonomous Drone Object Retrieval, and also private tutoring. Outside of that, I like being in nature, playing baseball, and eating. I’ve really been enjoying blueberries recently, and during the semesters you could probably catch me having chicken shawarma poutine in the EngSci common room every day!
Jadon 2T8
Bio: Hello! I’m Jadon, an EngSci 2T8 going into the Machine Intelligence option. This summer, I did research at Baycrest Hospital on white matter modelling for MR fingerprinting. Outside of school, I am one of the general managers for Iron Dragons (currently U24 national champions and always welcoming new members!), and I probably spend way too much time watching Habs games. I was also pretty undecided on my major for a while, so if you have questions about choosing a major or anything else U of T related, feel free to reach out!
Jiyoo, 2T9
Bio: Hi everyone! I’m Jiyoo, an EngSci 2T9 student. I’m hoping to major in BME or robotics in my third year, and I’m super interested in medical devices and neurotechnology, which is why you’ll find me on teams such as NeurotechUofT and UT Bionic! This past summer, I completed a research project in Bangkok, Thailand, on analyzing echocardiography videos using deep learning. Outside of class, I love basketball, going café hopping with friends, listening to country music, and recently I’ve started running. Feel free to reach out, and I’m excited to meet you all!
Rahi, 2T8
Bio: Hello hello hello! My name is Rahi and I’m an EngSci 2T8 in the Physics option. This summer, I worked on a project about the behaviour of sand at Waterloo. You might see me in the common room working on code; if you do, please say hi! I’m also usually involved with Skule Nite in one way or another (you should come watch!). Outside of school, I like to cook and play piano. I’m looking forward to seeing you at GEARS!
