Tell Me More: Coffee with Chris Yip

Raylene Mitchell is an IBET Momentum Fellow and a PhD student in the Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering. 

Under the supervision of Professor David Sinton (MIE) and

Raylene sat down with Dean Yip to discuss growing up in Makkovik, N.L., her unconventional path to engineering and why she believes Indigenous people are engineers at their core.

Podcast transcripts can be downloaded at: uofteng.ca/podcast

U of T Engineering alumna Eva Lau is co-founder of Two Small Fish Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on the next evolution of computing and its applications. Today, she leverages her experience to help early-stage transformative tech companies achieve internet scale.  

Eva sat down with Dean Yip to discuss innovation, the importance of mentorship, what she enjoys most about working with U of T students and more. 

Podcast transcripts can be downloaded at: uofteng.ca/podcast 

Shrey Jain just completed his Bachelor's of Engineering Science with a major in Machine Intelligence, and is among the more than 1,000 U of T Engineering undergraduate students who will walk across the stage at Convocation this month. Over the past few years, Shrey has worked on a number of high-profile projects relating to AI and its implications for our society, work he will be continuing after graduation as an applied scientist at Microsoft.

Dean Yip spoke to Jain about his experience at Skule™ and what lies ahead for him, as well as what he thinks the future holds for AI more generally.

Nika Shakiba completed her PhD in our Institute of Biomedical Engineering in 2017 and is now an Assistant Professor in the School of Biomedical Engineering at the University of British Columbia. Her research focuses on stem cells — using systems biology to understand how they work, and synthetic biology to engineer new therapies for regenerative medicine.

Podcast transcripts can be downloaded at ⁠uofteng.ca/podcast⁠.

Jenna Usprech completed her PhD at U of T's Institute of Biomedical Engineering in 2018, specializing in tissue engineering. Today, she is an Assistant Professor of Teaching in the School of Biomedical Engineering at the University of British Columbia. She spoke to Dean Yip about student wellness, science communication, and classroom strategies that promote critical thought.

Podcast transcripts can be downloaded at ⁠⁠uofteng.ca/podcast⁠⁠.

In celebration of the 150th anniversary of our Faculty, Dean Yip is joined by two guests who can offer some perspective on the past, present and future of Skule.

Marta Ecsedi (CivMin 7T6) was the first woman president of the U of T Engineering Society, also known as EngSoc. She has gone on to champion a more inclusive engineering profession through a series of leadership roles, including here at the Faculty and at Professional Engineers Ontario.

Aidan Grenville is a fourth-year Engineering Science student majoring in Aerospace Engineering, and is currently the president of EngSoc.

Podcast transcripts can be downloaded at ⁠uofteng.ca/podcast⁠.

Herman Colquhoun completed his master’s degree in Human Factors at U of T Engineering, and eventually went on to spend more than a decade at IBM, where he is a design principal leading the design of the IBM Quantum Premium Partner Experience. He is also a member of the leadership team for the Racial Equity in Design initiative at the company, the co-chair of the IBM Canada Black Experience, and co-founder of the IBM Inclusive Design Guild.

Podcast transcripts can be downloaded at ⁠⁠uofteng.ca/podcast⁠⁠.

Alumnus Marissa Wu's fascinating career lies at the intersection between healthcare, technology and entrepreneurship. She is the founder of two startups, Onyx Motion and Rhythm, and she has acted as mentor to other founders through our Entrepreneurship Hatchery. She joined us from London, UK, where she serves as Manager, Essential Medicines for the Clinton Health Access Initiative.

Podcast transcripts can be downloaded at ⁠⁠uofteng.ca/podcast⁠⁠.

Over the past few decades, EngSci alumnus Don Scott has made a name for himself in the field of marine technology, designing systems for all kinds of ocean-going vessels. Most recently, he’s been exploring the application of artificial intelligence to unpiloted underwater vehicles, creating marine analogues of the more familiar airborne drones we are starting to see in a variety of applications.

Podcast transcripts can be downloaded at ⁠⁠uofteng.ca/podcast⁠⁠.

Materials Science & Engineering graduate Joelle Javier is an Elevating and Amusement Devices Safety Engineer at Technical Standards and Safety Authority. This means she is in charge of making sure that roller coasters deliver a memorable thrill without compromising the safety of their riders. Through this and other activities, she aims to inspire the next generation of engineers.

Podcast transcripts can be downloaded at ⁠⁠uofteng.ca/podcast⁠⁠.