Sandra Mai

Alumna, Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Mechanical Engineering (2023)

Alumna Sandra Mai attributes her extra-curricular projects to where she is today. Sandra is currently a Mechanical Designer at Quasar Consulting Group, working on HVAC and plumbing designs in the hospitality sector. In this role, she uses 3D modelling software and calculates cooling/heating loads for equipment selections. She works with the architects and other consultants to ensure the mechanical side of the building design is feasible.

Sandra chose Ontario Tech because she found the community very welcoming. She states, "I liked how they had a lot of programs focused on mentorship like GEARS and WiE. I was able to visit the school through the Discover Engineering program and met a lot of people who are still my friends to this day!" The experiences that she found helped to prepare her the most for my current role were the Engineering Design courses where she did 3D modeling, the final year Capstone project, the Ontario Tech design competitions and her involvement with the Ontario Tech Engineering Students Society. She believes the Designathon, Internal Engineering Competition and Capstone project were all great ways to test design-based thinking and how one can work with a team to quickly create a solution together.

With her involvement in the Ontario Tech Engineering Society, she had the opportunity to work on large-scale projects that involved planning competitions, conferences, and smaller-scale events. Knowing how to be organized, leading teams and being able to communicate with people inside and outside of the Engineering industry are skills that are equally as valuable as technical skills after graduation.

For new engineering students, Sandra encourages them to be involved on campus, try things outside of their comfort zone, and chat with alumni, senior engineers, and professors as much as they can! Everyone has their own experiences and pathways with engineering, and a new student will never know how they might find theirs.