Alumni

When Tunde Akinniyi learned about the MEL in Dependable Software Systems, he immediately knew it was the right fit for him with its industry focus, technically advanced classes, one-year time frame and opportunities to develop his business and leadership skills.

Not everyone can list “practical wisdom consultant” and “improviser” on their LinkedIn profile. But these are apt descriptions of Cherry Chen and her approach to patient care – one that values patient engagement and seeks opportunities to apply innovative and creative strategies to improve health outcomes.

For Christina Cholkan, the Master of Engineering Leadership in Integrated Water Management offered an intriguing value proposition over traditional graduate programs: the opportunity to broaden her technical knowledge in water management while acquiring transferrable professional skills in business and leadership.

An undergraduate class in polymer chemistry was the pivotal experience that led Michael Coulson to a career in bio-products, where he is now helping agri-tech entrepreneurs commercialize their ideas and grow their companies.

“One year really can change everything,” says Dominique de Groot when reflecting on her experience in the MEL program. With fresh insight into both the technical and business aspects of water resource management, she’s bringing a holistic perspective to her environmental consulting career.

With close to three decades of experience as a successful consulting engineer in his home country of Brazil, Airton Dudzevich moved to Vancouver – bringing his entrepreneurial spirit and passion for sustainability to the solar energy sector.

Obtaining his Master of Engineering Leadership in Urban Systems was “absolutely worth the investment of time and money” says Mustafa Khalid, who is now working in a managerial role in the construction industry.

After completing the one-year professional master’s degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, mechanical engineer Donghee Kim made a successful career shift to pursue his passion for shipbuilding.

With five years of industry experience, Alice Kruchten was ready to enhance her technical and leadership skills and take on more complex projects in her environmental consulting work.

After eight years in the oil and gas industry as a process engineer, Ivan Lapczak enrolled in the Master of Engineering Leadership program to broaden his knowledge of the sustainable energy sector. He’s now working at the City of Surrey’s district energy utility, developing innovative energy solutions that support our transition to a lower carbon future.

For entrepreneurially minded Ryan Prosser, the MEL in Clean Energy Engineering program was a unique opportunity to pursue his dual interests in engineering and business leadership. And after landing a job with a start-up solar energy company, he’s already contributing to the clean energy future.

After graduating with a Master of Engineering Leadership degree in Advanced Materials Manufacturing, Matthew Smale launched a career in a new industry as an operational project leader.

Before enrolling in the MEL, Touraj Vaziri spent three years with Brock Solutions, developing automation systems for the aviation industry. Wanting to launch the next stage of his professional career, he saw the MEL as an opportunity to acquire formal training in business and leadership to balance his strong technical skills.