"There’s also a lot of value in attending the UBC Engineering events for prospective students."
Elio Di Nino
- Degree: Bachelor of Applied Science
- Program:
- Campus: Vancouver
- Year: 3rd year (as of September 2023)
Why did you want to study engineering?
I was always a kid who liked to tinker with things and figure out how they worked – I was the person taking things apart and playing with Lego non-stop. Then in high school, I really enjoyed math, science, and programming, so engineering seemed like the best choice for me.
How did you choose Computer Engineering?
First year was very helpful: I discovered I definitely don’t want to be doing anything long-term related to chemistry! I was debating between Computer Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, and Computer Engineering won out in the end because I realized how much I enjoy learning about technology.
Computer Engineering Mechanical Engineering
What are some of the highlights of your university education so far?
The first-year engineering courses were great for bonding with people across all the different engineering specializations as you worked on projects together, like designing a chair from cardboard or creating a mechanical claw that can pick up a range of objects. Some of my second-year Computer Engineering projects were great as well, where we were put in groups of four to work on some complicated programming assignments. They were challenging, but ultimately very rewarding.
Tell us about some of the extracurriculars you’ve been involved with.
In first year I joined the UBC Uncrewed Aircraft Systems team as a software developer, where I got to work on a bunch of cool projects such as revamping the ground control software, implementing a wireless winch control system and significantly reducing image streaming latency. In second year, I became the software co-lead, where I designed four new software projects to overhaul our systems and oversaw a team of 18 software developers.
Last year our team participated in two competitions – one in Quebec and one in Maryland. These were incredibly fun experiences and it’s been great to see our progress as a team.
I have now stepped into my new role as captain of the team and am really looking forward to a great year. There are about 60 of us from different faculties and engineering areas. It’s extremely rewarding to work with such different people and to be working with people outside of your engineering specialization. Design teams are a fantastic opportunity to learn new skills and they give you the freedom to explore areas you are curious about.
Tell us about your first co-op experience.
I’m working at D-Wave Quantum Systems in Burnaby as a DevOps Engineer. It’s been great. Everyone is super nice and very keen to share their knowledge. I’ve had quite a few opportunities to work on interesting things, learn new skills and help out in a range of areas. It’s also been super cool to learn about the emerging field of quantum computing!
Any idea of what kind of impact you’d like to make with your engineering degree?
It’s hard to say. I’m interested in so many different areas, including both software and hardware. I like working on projects that have value and make a positive impact on others.
