Educating Tomorrow’s Engineering Leaders
Enhancing the development of the 21st century engineer — one of the pillars of our Defy Gravity campaign — requires more than developing superior technical skills. Whether through co-curricular competitions, unique course offerings or external partnerships, we enable our students to hone their abilities in team effectiveness, communication, entrepreneurship and much more.
In a global market for talent, we also ensure that our graduates gain first-hand knowledge that helps them understand how the technologies they develop fit into the social, economic and cultural contexts of the societies they will serve.
Collaborating for a new perspective on engineering
A new collaboration between professors and students from both U of T Engineering and the Faculty of Arts & Science (ArtSci) has brought a unique multidisciplinary focus to Praxis III, a second-year Engineering Science design course.
Professors Philip Asare (ISTEP, EngSci) and Morgan Hooper (UTIAS, EngSci) worked with professors from the Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology (IHPST) on the project. Students from both faculties jointly participated in lectures and collaborated on course work, including a practical design challenge.
“Engineering and ArtSci students each bring unique perspectives, and when they work together, the mix of these perspectives exposes everyone to factors they may not have considered before,” says Asare.
Redefining the 21st century engineer
Through ISTEP — Canada’s first transdisciplinary engineering education initiative — U of T Engineering students are amplifying their technical expertise with collaborative, real-world learning that redefines what it means to be an engineer.
Prospective professors hone their communication skills
On November 5, a group of Grade 12 students from Central Toronto Academy had the opportunity to attend an engineering lecture given by graduate students in TEP 1203 Teaching Engineering in Higher Education.
The graduate-level course, taught by Professor Chirag Variawa (ISTEP), is part of U of T Engineering’s Prospective Professors in Training (PPIT) program. Both initiatives are run through U of T’s Institute for Studies in Transdisciplinary Engineering Education and Practice (ISTEP), which drives change in what and how engineering professors teach.
“We truly believe in authentic teaching and learning, and we wanted to create a realistic classroom experience for both the prospective professors — that is, our graduate students — and for the high school students we partnered with,” says Variawa.
"Everyone is here because they want to achieve something. It reminds me of the Latin saying: aut inveniam viam aut faciam — I shall either find a way or make one.”
– Samantha Chan (Year 1 MechE)
Made-in-Canada companies
For Sofia Bonilla (ChemE PhD 1T7), establishing a Canadian company with made-in-Canada products has been a positive experience due to the support she has received at U of T, including from U of T Mississauga’s ICUBE — a social entrepreneurship accelerator for early-stage startups.
“It’s incredibly difficult to build a business, so I won’t sugar coat it, but there have been so many people wanting to help us and see us succeed,” she says.
Bonilla is the founder and CEO of ALT-PRO Advantage, makers of next generation pet foods that use environmentally friendly, nutrient-rich insect protein.
Another student startup is Three Ships, which works with three factories in the Greater Toronto Area — and one in South Korea for their innovative biodegradable eye masks — to deliver mostly made-in-Canada skincare products.
Support the engineering leaders of tomorrow.
At U of T Engineering, we believe bold change and innovation begins with our students. Your gift to the Annual Skule™ Fund directly supports their journey — fueling world-class education, hands-on experiences and the resources they need to thrive. With your generosity, we can meet urgent needs, adapt to new challenges and ensure our students continue to lead with purpose and impact.
Attracting and nurturing new talent
Samantha Chan (Year 1 MechE) decided to become an engineer at the age of eight, after seeing an animated superhero film starring a young robotics prodigy.
She is one of five Schulich Leaders who joined U of T Engineering this year, along with five exceptional students from around the world who earned Lester B. Pearson International Scholarships.
Catalyzing global experiences
Engineering Global Experiences Week, held in October 2024, helped raise awareness of opportunities for U of T Engineering undergraduates to go abroad during their studies. Events such as the Global Education Expo included info on course-based exchanges, summer research, work-integrated learning and more.
Engineering, architecture, robots
This past June, U of T Engineering students, along with peers at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, participated in Robot Made: Design Build, a hands-on design build project.
The undergraduate and graduate student participants learned about computational design and digital fabrication while exploring techniques for designing, simulating and digitally fabricating timber systems.
Bridging engineering and education with empathy
Michelle Lai (Year 4 IndE) is the recipient of the 2025 Troost ILead Difference Maker Award recognizing outstanding impact, contributions to community and a strong vision for the future.
Her extensive volunteer experience in education includes work with the Key Club, Canada Learning Code, the MINA Project, and other groups centred on providing young students with STEM learning resources.