Cross-Functional Engineering Leadership and Community

Take initiative and ownership, don’t wait for opportunities to come to you.

UBC graduate, Surya Krishna, poses outdoors with his arms around his mother on the left and father on the right.
Surya with his parents at the UBC Okanagan Convocation ceremony, during their first visit to the UBCO campus.

Surya Krishna

I’m an international student from Bangalore, India. I graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering with distinction and 16 months of co-op experience. I was a part of UBCO Motorsports and founded Engineers in Action’s UBCO chapter.

Why did you choose to study engineering at UBC Okanagan? 

I come from a family of engineers and educators, and I grew up learning from their interests and experiences. I also had an affinity for Physics, Math and putting things together throughout my schooling, which helped affirm my interest in mechanical engineering. I was drawn to a system that enables free thinking and focuses on developing soft skills in conjunction with core engineering knowledge. I chose the School of Engineering at UBC’s Okanagan campus specifically for its tighter-knit, community-centred approach.

UBC graduate Surya Krishna and his peer pose in front of mountains and a grass lawn
Surya with Kye, EIA Okanagan co-founder, at the EIA conference in Boulder, Colorado.

What have you learned that is most valuable?

UBC has taught me to redefine boundaries. Balancing being a team player, a leader, a designer, a project manager and most importantly an ethical professional - across the various opportunities through my university career. Engineering is a team sport, and without good communication and teamwork skills, it is impossible to be a good engineer. Group projects, class discussions, working in clubs and especially my co-op opportunities allowed me to develop these alongside my technical skills and knowledge.

What made your time at UBC memorable?

Founding and developing the Engineers in Action program at UBCO has been the single most challenging and rewarding part of my university experience. What started as a passion project with a few of my friends has now grown into a major club on campus with over 50 members. Since its inception in early 2024, EIA Okanagan has delivered 3 major international development projects in Peru and Bolivia, including two suspended pedestrian footbridges and a Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) system. We have served a total of over 2,500 direct and indirect beneficiaries across both countries, while serving as a professional development club for UBCO’s engineering student body. 

To cap off my journey, I had the opportunity to travel to Peru in the summer of 2026 to serve as the Project Manager for our second pedestrian bridge project, leading a volunteer team of 13 engineering students across three Canadian universities (University of Toronto, University of Alberta, and UBCO). Over six weeks, we constructed a 66-metre-long suspended bridge over a river, allowing over 500 local community members safer access to schools, clinics, and markets.

UBC graduate Surya Graduate at the work site of his bridge project in Peru
Surya working on the cables for the 2026 EIA Peru bridge build.

What advice would you give a student entering mechanical engineering?

While it is possible to graduate by doing the required classwork, writing exams and getting through your four years, the real value of a UBC education is the huge variety of opportunities available within the academic ecosystem. Clubs, internship opportunities, events and research positions are how you set yourself apart and find your true passion within the field.

How did your studies in the Faculty of Applied Science prepare you for the future of work?

I believe this rapidly evolving technological and social landscape has only increased the need for “human” engineers - capable of making informed and ethical decisions, learning continuously as context shifts. This is also the mindset of the Faculty of Applied Science, creating not just great engineers, but more importantly, "good" engineers (as Dr. Will Hughes says). The various fields and specializations of engineering are becoming more closely connected, and it will take an adaptable and curious professional to successfully navigate these multi-disciplinary problems and solutions.

Surya Krishna gives the camera two thumbs up.
Surya on the completed 2026 EIA Peru bridge in Aguas Calientes.

What is next for you?

I’m currently on the market for a full-time EIT role within design or project engineering. I would also like to continue doing work that makes a difference, as a mentor with Engineers in Action Okanagan and beyond, as opportunities to give back to my community arise. I’m excited to see what the future holds!

Two UBC mechanical engineering students prepare for the autonomous landing platform competition.

Mechanical Engineering

As a student in UBC’s Mechanical Engineering stream, you’ll begin by mastering the fundamentals, building a knowledge base in solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, dynamics, thermodynamics, vibrations, heat transfer, controls and design.

Mechanical Engineering

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Whether you’re a nursing, planning, architecture or engineering graduate, the alumni network is one of the most powerful benefits of your UBC education.

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UBC is located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm people (Musqueam; which means 'People of the River Grass') and Syilx Okanagan Nation. The land has always been a place of learning for the Musqueam and Syilx peoples, who for millennia have passed on their culture, history and traditions from one generation to the next.

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