"I’ve always wanted to travel, but faced financial barriers to doing so. Going on an exchange is an amazing way to be able to live and study in a different country."
Tina Nguyen
- Degree: Bachelor of Applied Science
- Program:
- Campus: Vancouver
- Year: 6th year as of November 2023
Why did you choose engineering?
While volunteering at seniors’ residences when I was in high school, I noticed how important medical devices were to people’s ability to participate in recreation activities. If someone’s oxygen tank wasn’t working, for example, it stopped them from doing activities they loved. Even simple mobility aids like a cane made a huge difference.
It made me realize the impact that technology can have on quality of life, and I saw engineering as a way to have a positive impact on others.
How did you choose Electrical Engineering?
My first year at UBC coincided with the first year that the Biomedical Engineering was offered, and I took the pre-biomedical engineering courses thinking that’s where I wanted to end up. However, I discovered in my first-year courses that I was particularly interested in electrical systems. Many of the guest speakers we had from the biomedical industry had an electrical engineering background, and I saw Electrical Engineering, with the biomedical engineering option, as the best choice for my interests.
Biomedical Engineering Electrical Engineering
Tell us about your semester abroad!
This was a goal of mine from the start of my degree. The Coordinated International Experience program made it possible to integrate it into my study plans. However, public health restrictions due to COVID-19 kept delaying when this could happen. I was finally paired with the University of Hong Kong where I spent a semester taking courses related to biomedical engineering, as well as courses connected to my minor in computer science.
The semester was amazing. I was able to do labs that weren’t available to me at UBC, like electrooculography, where you use eye movements to control a mouse. Many of the lab facilities were in hospitals, which was also very interesting.
I’ve always wanted to travel, but faced financial barriers to doing so. Going on an exchange is an amazing way to be able to live and study in a different country.
Coordinated International Experience
What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
I’ve been on BEST (the Biomedical Engineering Student Team) for five years. Being part of a design team is great. The people you work with will challenge and support you. There’s such a sense of community and you get to do things you love and practice the skills you learn in class.
