Tell Me More: Coffee with Chris Yip

Andrew Forde (MSE 1T1, MIE PhD 2T0) is a double graduate U of T Engineering, and a trailblazer at the intersection of industry and academia. After completing his undergraduate in Materials Science & Engineering, Forde went to work for a variety of consulting companies, including Boston Consulting Group, IBM and Deloitte. A few years later, Forde became one of the first students to complete what is now the flex-time PhD program, under the supervision of Professor Mark Fox (MIE). Earlier this year, he was appointed Head of AI Research at KPMG. Dean Yip spoke to him about his new role, the importance of academic-industry collaborations when it comes to addressing open-ended, complex challenges and the connections between music and engineering. 

Since graduating from U of T Engineering, Luigi La Corte (CivMin 1T4 + PEY) has built a career that has ranged from construction to high finance. In 2022, he co-founded Provision, a company leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning to automate and speed up the paperwork associated with large construction projects, and now serves as its CEO.Dean Yip spoke with him about how engineering prepared him for his current career, and how the dynamics of founding a company are changing in the era of AI.

U of T Engineering alumna Rumina Velshi (CivMin 7T8) is one of Canada's most prominent nuclear engineers.The former head of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, she was recently appointed to the board of Energoatom, Ukraine’s state-owned nuclear energy company. She is also a co-founder and principal at ZettaJoule, Inc., which is working to advance small modular nuclear reactors.Dean Yip spoke to her about her career and the role that Canada can play in a rapidly changing global nuclear industry.

After graduating from U of T Engineering, Dr. Michelle Murti (EngSci 2T2) became a physician specializing in preventative medicine. She has worked for public health authorities across North America, and last September, she was appointed the Medical Officer of Health for the City of Toronto. Dean Yip talked to her about she applies her engineering training to help people live healthier lives.

Dean Yip chats with Jenya Doudareva (IndE 1T0 + PEY, MASc 1T3, PhD 2T1), a triple graduate of U of T Engineering who completed her PhD in 2021. Today, she works in Cloud and AI consulting at OnX. All three of Doudareva’s degrees are in industrial engineering, and she explains why this discipline is a great background for a career helping businesses find effective and ethical ways to deploy AI. She also touches on her experiences writing poetry and science fiction, and she tells a story about how she once smashed up her mom’s calculator looking for a microchip that would help her build a “Terminator” style robot.

Support for mental wellness is a critical part of U of T Engineering’s commitment to fostering a healthy, inclusive and vibrant student community. Thanks to a generous gift from Loui Pappas (CivE 8T8, MASc 8T9) and his daughter Elena Pappas (ChemE 2T2), that support is being strengthened through a new campaign to raise funds for the Skule™ Mental Wellness Bursary. In this episode, Loui and Elena share the inspiring story behind their gift, their family’s connection to Skule™ and how they hope to help future engineering students thrive.

Arlyne James (MechE 2T4) is founder and CEO of My Dorm Store, which she created while she was still an undergraduate student at U of T Engineering. The company, which began as an assignment in an engineering business course, has grown tremendously in just a few short years, and this fall provided services to more than 60 residences across Canada. James spoke with Dean Yip about what she learned at U of T Engineering, and how it helped her start — and grow — her thriving business.

We tried something a little bit different with this month’s episode — we turned the tables on Dean Yip. Undergraduate student Mahmoud Rashid (Year 3 MSE) took a turn as host, asking Dean Yip questions about his journey through engineering, his life as a runner, what he likes to bake, and more.

Earlier this year, David Boroto (EngSci 1T8 + PEY) became the CEO of Engineers Without Borders Canada. Dean Yip speaks with him about his journey from South Africa to Saskatchewan to the University of Toronto and about how he’s using infrastructure engineering to impact and improve the lives of low-income communities in a sustainable way.

U of T Engineering Alumna Sofia Bonilla completed her PhD in our University of Toronto Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, having previously completed degrees in microbiology and environmental science. Her thesis focused on protein production, and she has since leveraged that expertise to become the founder and CEO of ALT-PRO, a company that is creating the next generation of pet food with clean and sustainable ingredients from insects, algae and fungi.Dean Yip spoke with Bonilla about protein engineering, launching a startup and the future of sustainable pet food.Follow us:Instagram: @uoftengineeringLinkedIn: University of Toronto EngineeringYouTube: @uoftengTwitter/X: @uoftengineeringWebsite: https://engineering.utoronto.ca

After graduating from the University of Toronto, Melodie Schaffer (ChemE 9T1, MASc 9T4) had a successful career designing biomedical devices. More recently, she’s made big pivot to the world of offshore sailing. She is the first Canadian woman to complete a round-the-world sailing race, earning her the Canadian Rolex sailor of the year award for 2023, the Gerry Roufs Canadian Offshore Sailor award for 2024 and the Women of Inspiration inaugural Women in Sport award for 2024.

Prandtl Dynamics is a company recently founded by U of T Engineering undergraduates. Over the past year, they have been making headlines by doing something that many established aerospace companies cannot yet do: develop effective, acoustic-based strategies to neutralize threats from Uncrewed Aerial Systems, also known as drones.Dean Yip spoke to Michael Acquaviva (Year 4 EngSci) and Anna Poletaeva (Year 3 MSE) to find out more about Prandtl’s unique technology and its rapid rise to prominence.

Both during and after his time at University of Toronto Engineering's Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, Mina Shahid was heavily involved in Engineers Without Borders. The experience led to a successful career in international development, and today he is the co-founder and CEO of Numida. The company offers digital financial services to micro and small businesses in East Africa, including working capital financing and savings.

Immediately after graduating from the Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, Kristina Menton was recruited by what would become Pivotal, a company that is changing the face of aviation. Today, she is the company’s Chief Operating Officer and Head of Flight, leading the development of new kinds of personal aircraft, such as the BlackFly and the Helix. She has also stayed involved with U of T Engineering, most recently as a guest lecturer. Dean Yip spoke with her about the future of flight, and about her advice for current students.

Since graduating MechE 8T8, Vince Arone has held senior roles at a number of technology companies. Most recently, he has entered the exciting world of battery electric storage systems and DC fast chargers. Dean Yip talks with Vince about this fast-growing industry, and how he has now brought some of that tech back to campus as part of the Landmark renovation. They also discuss the importance of supporting the next generation through the new U of T 8T8 Resilience Scholarship.

After earning her BASc and her MEng in the Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry at U of T, Liane went on to apply her knowledge and skills as a senior manager in health and life sciences consulting at Deloitte.  She has returned to U of T Engineering to serve as president of the Engineering Alumni Network, where she is working to help the next generation of engineering leaders develop the abilities they will need to thrive in a dynamic global marketplace. Podcast transcripts can be downloaded at: uofteng.ca/podcast 

Carlos de Oliveira and Michael Gray are co-founders of Cast Connex, an industry leader in the architectural and structural use of cast steel components in the design and construction of building and bridge structures. Cast Connex recently made their mark on the Las Vegas skyline by contributing to the development of Sphere at the Venetian, the world's largest spherical structure.  Podcast transcripts can be downloaded at: uofteng.ca/podcast 

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 Michael Ross (ElecE 0T8), the Industrial Research Chair in Northern Energy Innovation at Yukon University, she is researching energy storage solutions in Indigenous communities. 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.

After graduating from the Engineering Science program and the University of Toronto Institute of Aerospace Studies, Eric Khoury made a career pivot, taking his analytics prowess to the Toronto Raptors organization, where he eventually joined the coaching team. Earlier this year, he was named the head coach of Raptors 905, the Toronto Raptors' NBA G League affiliate, the youngest head coach in the team's history. Eric spoke with Dean Yip about the rising field of sports analytics. Podcast transcripts can be downloaded at ⁠⁠uofteng.ca/podcast⁠⁠.

Aerospace engineer and award-winning science fiction author Eric Choi is a graduate of both our Engineering Science program and our University of Toronto Institute of Aerospace Studies. He uses his expertise to advance space technology, such as the Canadarm 2, but also to tell compelling stories about alternative histories and potential futures. His first published collection of short stories is called Just Like Being There. Podcast transcripts can be downloaded at ⁠⁠uofteng.ca/podcast⁠⁠.

Dean Yip sits down with Professor Dionne Aleman from the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering for a wide-ranging conversation. They discuss her work in applying operations research and machine learning to improve medical and healthcare decision-making, including the development of pandemic models. They also discuss the importance of giving engineering students a broad background, the Engineering Positive Space committee, and Professor Aleman's love of classic American muscle cars. Podcast transcripts can be downloaded at ⁠⁠uofteng.ca/podcast⁠⁠.

Professor Elham Marzi is a member of our Institute for Studies in Transdisciplinary Engineering Education and Practice, or ISTEP. She brings a unique perspective to our Faculty: for one thing, her expertise is not in engineering, but rather in organizational behaviour, human resources management, strategy and negotiations. Combine that with the fact that she’s lived and studied in Europe, North America and the Middle East, and you can see how she is well-positioned to prepare our students for a workplace that is increasingly global, connected and multidisciplinary. She discusses some of her latest innovations, as well as what the future may hold in terms of preparing the next generation of engineering leaders. Podcast transcripts can be downloaded at ⁠⁠uofteng.ca/podcast⁠⁠.

U of T Engineering alumnus Ajay Kochhar is President and CEO of Li-Cycle. The company, which he co-founded a little more than five years ago, is already the largest recycler of lithium-ion batteries in North America, and has even more ambitious plans for the future. Ajay’s story is a great example of how an engineering education provides a strong foundation for technical entrepreneurship in a rapidly changing world. Podcast transcripts can be downloaded at ⁠⁠uofteng.ca/podcast⁠⁠.

U of T Engineering alumnus and cleantech innovator Phil De Luna is the Director of the $57M Materials for Clean Fuels program at Canada’s National Research Council, making him the youngest person ever to serve as a director at NRC. He is also the Chair of the Board for CMC Research Institutes, and a member of the Royal Society of Canada and Forbes Top 30 Under 30. He was recently invited back to U of T Engineering as an Adjunct Professor. De Luna spoke with Dean Yip about his research into carbon capture and upcycling, the commercialization of cleantech innovations, and the intersection between engineering and policy. Podcast transcripts can be downloaded at ⁠⁠uofteng.ca/podcast⁠⁠.

In this episode, Dean Yip talked with some of the people behind Blueprint, an academic enrichment program for highly motivated Black secondary school students interested in careers in Science, Technology Engineering and Math (STEM). Engineering Outreach Coordinator Cassandra Abraham designed and oversees the program, while Ngozi Isiuwe is a second-year electrical engineering student who served as a mentor in Blueprint. Isiuwe is also an executive member of our National Society of Black Engineers student chapter. Together, they and other members of the Blueprint team have helped launch the careers dozens of future STEM leaders, including several who are now undergraduate students here at U of T Engineering. Podcast transcripts can be downloaded at ⁠⁠uofteng.ca/podcast⁠⁠.

Second-year electrical engineering student Diana Virgovicova came to U of T Engineering from Pezinok, Slovakia on a Lester B. Pearson International Student Scholarship. Dean Chris Yip sat down with her to talk about her travels across Canada and around the world, how she found her way to Toronto, what she hopes to accomplish in the future — and how to make bryndzové halušky, Slovakia's national dish. Podcast transcripts can be downloaded at ⁠⁠uofteng.ca/podcast⁠⁠.

Professor Shoshanna Saxe is an expert in the social and environmental impacts of large infrastructure projects, such as new transit lines or highways. Using data-driven tools such as life cycle analysis, her research helps us learn from our past mistakes and points us toward optimal solutions for safer, cleaner and more liveable cities. In this episode, Saxe provides her perspectives on why a $400 billion brand-new city in the desert might not be such a good idea, what "building back better" could actually look like, and what those who advocate for "smart cities" sometimes miss about the way our urban centres actually work. Podcast transcripts can be downloaded at ⁠⁠uofteng.ca/podcast⁠⁠.

Professors Angela Schoellig and Tim Barfoot are pushing the limits of what autonomous robots can do. From drones to self-driving cars, their research will help power a new generation of vehicles that can go places that humans can't. Both Schoellig and Barfoot belong to the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies, as well as the Robotics Institute, which boasts the highest concentration of robotics researchers in Canada. They are also both advisors to aUToronto, U of T Engineering's entry into the AutoDrive Challenge™. This student team took the top spot in this international competition for the last four years in a row with Zeus, a self-driving electric vehicle built from scratch in only seven months. Podcast transcripts can be downloaded at ⁠⁠uofteng.ca/podcast⁠⁠.

Professors Marianne Hatzopoulou and Jeffrey Siegel both study air quality, but from different perspectives. Hatzopoulou and her team are use mobile sensors to build real-time maps and simulations of outdoor air pollution, while Siegel’s research group focuses on modelling the indoor environment. Together, they explain the best way to get a breath of fresh air. Podcast transcripts can be downloaded at ⁠⁠uofteng.ca/podcast⁠⁠.

Professor Hai-Ling Margaret Cheng and her team are designing the next generation of MRI scans. In the future, they could be used to catch cancer in its earliest stages, or to track stem cell treatments as they repair damaged tissues. A better window into what’s happening inside the body could save lives around the world. Podcast transcripts can be downloaded at ⁠⁠uofteng.ca/podcast⁠⁠.