Introduce yourself. Where are you from? What are your hobbies?
My name is Patty Liu. I was born in Canada, but I grew up in Bejing, and came back in middle school. My hobbies are reading and art. I read sci-fi and fantasy, but recently I have been trying to branch out and read non-fiction.
Why U of T EngSci?
Back in high school, I was really interested in physics. I applied to programs in physics and earth science, and I got into some of them. However, looking up job prospects, I was not super set on them, so I decided to try out EngSci, which was more flexible, and I could decide later.
In your position as Aero Lead at UTWind, you were working on improving last year’s design and working with other subsystems to fix design components.
What did you learn in this role?
I have been part of the team for two years, so I was familiar with how things worked, but I think the main difference between being a member and a team lead is that the lead has more responsibilities. I not only manage my own subsystem, but I also connect with other subsystems, and I need a high-level understanding of how everything works together. As a team member, I am only concerned with my specific tasks and components, which is a lot easier to do.
What was your main role as the Aero Lead?
Unlike last year, where we had to design a new wind turbine, our design this year is based on last year’s design. We were more focused on improving the design and working with other subsystems to resolve the problems we had last year. There were some design components that did not work out, and we also addressed concerns about our own subsystem that were brought forth in the design competition last year.
How did you find the time for design teams?
I think I am luckier this year, because I am doing my PEY instead of being a full-time student. At first, it was manageable, but later my research duties became heavier, and it was difficult to focus on both, so I decided to take some time off the design team. I learned that sometimes I have to prioritize my own mental health and figure out what is more important to me, personally and career-wise, instead of trying different things and doing neither of those well. During the school year, I was more flexible with the time I put into the club, so I was more involved in the beginning of the term, and less so during exams.
Recommendations for incoming first years regarding extracurriculars?
In terms of time management, you should set priorities for different tasks. Not every task is equally important, and sometimes it is equally important to take a break; you don’t have to be working all the time. Sometimes it is beneficial to take time off, so you don’t make mistakes because you are tired. You can often find new perspectives on your work after taking a break and doing something else, which is also true for research. One thing to consider when joining is how much time you spend on these teams. Some require members to come and work during weekends, which is difficult for commuters.
Why did you pick your major (MI)? Did you always know that you wanted to go into Mi or was there anything that led you to choose this major?
As I mentioned before, I wanted to do physics before joining EngSci. After that, I was interested in similar fields such as aerospace or robotics. On the other hand, even in high school, I was very interested in programming, but I didn’t want to be a software developer, and I didn’t know about machine learning at all. In the summer after second year, I had a research internship focused on hardware, as I was interested in robotics. I got to work on implementing machine learning algorithms on ultra-low power FPGAs. I found that interesting, so I started looking more into that. This was a last-minute decision that took me some time to figure out. Another reason I chose MI was because work was very flexible. I could work anywhere if I had internet access. This fitted into my future plans more than working at a fixed location.
You said your decision was very last-minute. Based on your experiences, what would you say to the incoming EngScis, some of whom have already decided which major to go into?
Having been in the same boat before, I think people should take more time to explore their interests. In university, you still have time to explore what you want to do, but it becomes harder to do that when you graduate. Your experiences are all connected. Being an aero lead doesn’t seem to tie into machine learning, but it gave me soft skills such as time management and reading research papers which carry over to other fields as well.
How is PEY? Did it complement what you learnt in EngSci? Why/why not?
Instead of spending too much time on a single topic, EngSci MI gave me a good overview of what the field is like. Through these introductions, I became interested in certain things which are now my research topic. Another thing I really appreciated was that I got introduced to reading research papers in our courses. It is important because machine learning develops fast, and we must stay on top of things. To reduce time spent reading each research paper while still grasping the main idea is helpful for the work I am doing right now. This takes a lot of practice, so it is good to start early. Something else EngSci taught me is dealing with failures. Sometimes things don’t work out the way we want them to, and this also holds for research. There are a lot of ups and downs, and you don’t always get your paper accepted despite the amount of work you put in.
Any tips for reading research papers?
At first, I spent too much time trying to understand everything in the paper. Papers are usually long, so it takes some time to go through everything. However, this isn’t always worth it. Sometimes, only the higher-level idea is needed, so focus on the abstract and the conclusion. If you want to learn more, start with the figures, which will tell you more about the results. If you want to implement what the paper did, that’s when you read the methods section.
How was the transition from high school to university?
During high school I had more free time outside of class, so I could finish my schoolwork and focus on my interests. Now, I have to put in more time into my academics, and it is no longer easy to understand everything. Outside of lectures, I had to take extra time to review lecture content, which was defeating at first, but it is relatively common, and you should not feel bad about it. That is why it is important to manage your time. It is impossible to do everything on the same day, so it is okay to push some tasks to later.
What is one piece of advice you want to tell incoming first years?
Explore your interests through extracurriculars and taking electives that extend beyond the scope of your major.