"I became interested in engineering because of my curiosity about how to go from an initial idea to a desired outcome."
Jasmine Lee
- Degree: Bachelor of Applied Science
- Grad year: 2023
- Program:
- Campus: Vancouver
You graduated last year. Tell us about where you’re working.
I’m working at EcoAct, a climate consulting firm that was recently acquired by Schneider Electric and is now part of their sustainability business. As a Sustainability Associate I help deliver projects such as greenhouse gas inventories, science-based target modelling, product life-cycle analysis and other climate strategies for companies – educating them and helping them move towards more sustainable practices and voluntary disclosure.
What do like about your job?
The culture is great and I love getting to dip my toes into so many areas.
I think this is really the perfect job for someone like me at this stage of my career because I get to absorb so much about different industries and am involved in so many projects with lots of different clients. I like the breadth of the work and the amount of problem solving I get to do.
How did you become interested in engineering?
I was always fascinated with systems. And I became interested in engineering because of my curiosity about how to go from an initial idea to a desired outcome. One of the reasons I was drawn to UBC was for the general first year that exposes you to several different disciplines. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study, but I knew I’d like designing systems, and I knew that I wanted to figure out how to make something real.
Any highlights you’d like to share about your courses or projects?
COVID happened at the end of my second year, which meant my third year was conducted entirely online. One of my favourite projects – and also one of the most challenging – was a year-long design project in third year to build a gravity-powered race car. We weren’t allowed to meet in person, so as a project team, we worked over Zoom on our ideas and then our prof or lab tech would follow our instructions in the lab to build the car. I ended up doing my capstone project with that same project team.
Through the projects and group work I learned a lot of problem-solving skills. Any time you take a project from beginning to end you’re going to run into a myriad of problems and issues. One of the mindsets that engineering taught me is that the only way out is through. Solving challenges requires adaptability and the ability to redefine expectations while keeping the project goal in mind.
Now that you’re working, do you have any thoughts on the type of impact you’d like to make in your career?
That’s a big question. I’d like to revisit my love for systems in general. Now that I’m involved in sustainability as a career, I would really like to expand my depth of understanding of how sociopolitical systems and engineering systems integrate and to bridge some of the gaps in miscommunication between these groups.
