Behind the career: Chemical and Biological Engineering

Process Engineer (ELT) at Greenlane Biogas 

When asked what advice she would give her student self, Ashna’s advice was simple: trust your professors. 

At first, Ashna feared that there would be a disconnect between the formulas and equations she was learning with what she wanted to do in the future. “I did not trust my professors as I should have,” Ashna chuckles. “It is easy to get tied up in the 'I just need to learn this for an exam' mindset, but trust that you need to learn them for a reason. The courses in the program are accredited for a reason, and you will probably use it! I actually use things I directly learned from my courses throughout my workday. So just believe your profs!” 

After viewing her studies more holistically, Ashna started to find her place and envision her future as an engineer. In her fourth year, Ashna discovered that she was really interested in renewable energy. This led her to choose to do her capstone project on Greenlane Biogas, and later helped her land a job with them fresh out of graduation. “It just shows you how important networking can be,” Ashna reflects. Now, as a process engineer-in-training (ELT), Ashna not only uses knowledge she acquired from her degree, but she is able advocate for her passion for sustainability through her career. Looking back, Ashna urges all current students to “trust the process. Trust that what you're learning matter and can connect you to any job you want.”  

Don’t let your degree limit yourself. As a UBC Engineering student, the professors and resources you have at hand are here to help you discover your passions and land the job of your dreams!