Could you please introduce yourself, including where you are from, the year you graduated EngSci and a quick history of your career and experiences since then?
My name is Yvonne Ying. I am from Toronto; I grew up in North York, for the most part. I graduated from the class of 9T6. I did sort of a chemical and biomedical stream. After that, I went on to do my master’s in Chemical Engineering with a biomedical focus at Johns Hopkins University. Then I went on to do medical school at the University of Calgary and residency in plastic surgery. Now I work as a surgeon in Ottawa at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario.
How was your initial transition from high school to Engineering Science? What were your first year impressions of EngSci and U of T?
It was certainly challenging. You go into Engineering Science and you are surrounded by all these smart people. I remember in the first week of class, there were a couple of my classmates who already knew each other because they were on the national math olympic team together. They had gone to Moscow together for the math olympiad. It was definitely very intimidating starting off, but at the same time as you get to know these people, which makes it a great opportunity. There was great comradery and the fact that everyone was always willing to help and that these were great people to learn from was unique about the program. It ended up being a great opportunity, rather than something that was negative once you got to know them and get into the swing of the program.
Do you have any favourite memory or anecdote from your undergraduate degree that stands out?
I think it really was about the comradery with my classmates. I remember being in the common room for many many hours, doing problem sets and labs together. I think that’s what made it a great experience. It was a challenging experience, but it was also a great experience, really having the support of everyone and having everyone be really willing to help each other out.
Do you think EngSci or U of T have affected your life differently than another engineering program or another university would have? If so, how?
I think certainly the program did. U of T has a reputation of being really big and impersonal. I think had I done, for example, a bachelor’s of science degree instead, you’re in these really big classes. In EngSci you’re with the same class of people all the time for the first couple of years, so you really get to know everyone. I think that U of T often has a reputation for being cutthroat and really competitive. I really didn’t find that in Engineering Science. Everyone wanted to do well but not at the expense of someone else. Everyone wants to help each other and try and make sure they can learn material and understand it as best they can, and whoever does better on the exam so be it. I think that was kind of unique and different, and the size of the program really made that possible. A lot of my Engineering Science friends from back in the day are still some of my best friends today. We have stayed in touch and we still get together.
What were your interests outside of EngSci while at U of T? What was your philosophy balancing work, hobbies and life?
I went into engineering with the plan to do biomedical engineering. I used to volunteer at BloorView Hospital, when that was still what it was called. It was a residential hospital for children with disabilities. I went into engineering thinking that I wanted to end up building assistive devices. I think I volunteered for some of the periods during my undergrad, but I did spend my summers working at Easter Seals and Ontario Marchodies summer camps for children and adults with disabilities. They were important for me to stay grounded and remember my goals and what I was working towards, as opposed to working classic engineering summer jobs.
What was your favourite course in the first year of the program? Did you have a least favourite course or subject?
I don’t remember having a favourite course. I think I just wanted to stay afloat in first year. I do remember not doing so well on my first physics exam, but very specifically I remember every question on my final CIV102 exam. That was clearly a very traumatic moment. My favorite course overall wasn’t till third year, when you’ve specialised a little bit more; I really enjoyed my mass transfer class. The course really confirmed that I had made the right decision to go into chemical as opposed to any of the other streams at the time. [Note: the chemical option no longer exists].
What was your hardest struggle during the first year of EngSci?
I think in general the adjustment was challenging. I would say everyone that gets into Engineering Science is used to being at the top of their class. Math and sciences in general probably come really easily to people who choose to go into EngSci. Then you come to EngSci and you’re surrounded by all these really smart people and it’s this feeling that you aren’t supposed to be there. They talk about Imposter Syndrome, and I definitely think I had a bit of that when I started. So it’s about learning that you belong to be there, and that it is about learning and understanding the material. Certainly it’s a challenging program; after Engineering Science I have done a number of degrees and by far I would say Engineering Science was the most challenging degree academically. It is a challenging program and you kind of have to work through it, but at the same time I found it a very supportive environment. To recognise that you might not be at the top of the class anymore but that really isn’t what’s important. It’s about learning the material and appreciating it for yourself.
Non-academically speaking, what do you think was the biggest thing you learned from Engineering Science?
One is about teamwork. Learning how to work with other people who look at the problem from different perspectives, which is often helpful in helping me to understand the problem better. I also learned how to understand things from first principles, which is really stressed in EngSci. You really have to understand how things are derived from first principles. At the time I probably didn’t appreciate this, but I definitely grew to appreciate it later on. When you understand the first principles, then you also understand why there are the exceptions.
It is truly remarkable how you have incorporated volunteerism and community outreach into your academic career. What skills do you think you learned in EngSci that have helped you advocate for those in need?
I think certainly I would go back to saying that EngSci taught me teamwork and comradery skills. I think after being in the program a bit, the fact that it wasn’t about competing with others gave me the latitude to do different things in the summer. I didn’t feel that if I didn’t get that scholarship or research job or the job with the big industry company that I wouldn’t be able to succeed. There wasn’t that feeling and so that gave me the latitude to do these summer jobs that weren’t directly related to “engineering.” This all allowed me to maintain those other interests in my life. People recognize that Engineering Science is a difficult program, and so when you graduate from it there is the expectation that you can manage it academically. That in itself proves your abilities and these other interests complete that.
Finally, what is one thing you would tell yourself if you were starting your undergraduate degree in EngSci this year?
That it’s hard work, but to also try to enjoy yourself at the same time. You don’t have to do it alone, and you can find people to support you and work with you. I think that is what makes it fun work, is having that support and friendship to get through it together. It’s a stressful and tough four years but by working with others you can enjoy it at the same time. Try not to feel the pressure to be the best at it: make it about understanding and learning from it.