Q&A with Chris Mohan

Chris is a student ambassador here to answer your questions. Click here to contact Chris.

What inspired you to choose engineering?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been drawn to mathematics and science. Unlike the other subjects taught in school, they always made sense to me; there was always a right answer, systems worked or they didn’t, equations could be visually mapped and tangibly analyzed.

What is even more amazing is that using math and science we can identify problems and create innovative solutions. This is the essence of Engineering.

Studying engineering was an obvious choice for me because not only was I fascinated with the science of engineering, but I also loved creating new things and tackling real-world problems.

Why did you choose Western Engineering?

There are many reasons why Western Engineering stood out to me.

I’m still not entirely sure what stream of engineering I want to specialize in, which is why Western Engineering was such a great choice for me. Taking courses like Statics, Programming, and Materials allow you to get your feet wet and grasp a better understanding of many different engineering fields you wouldn’t have considered before.

There’s a lot you can do in conjunction with your engineering degree at Western. There are many options for concurrent degrees with majors such as economics, psychology, biology, and many others. What stood out to me was the option to pursue a dual degree with an HBA from the Ivey Business School. The option to study engineering and another major is very rare among universities in Canada which makes Western Engineering really unique.

Western provides engineering students with two different opportunities to gain work experience: long-term internships and summer co-op terms. Long-term internships last a full academic year and provide students with the opportunity to grow within a company and contribute to ongoing projects within the organization. Summer co-op terms are also a great option since they won’t add a year to your studies and allow you to experience many different work environments and gain a better understanding of where you’d like to work post-graduation

Can you talk about your extracurricular activities at Western?

I haven’t been here at Western for a long time, but there are still many ways for first years to get involved with the community. I am currently one of the first year reps on the Undergraduate Engineering Society (UES) Council. I’m also trying to branch out from the Engineering Faculty, so I joined Western Investment Club and Western Foodies.

Any advice for managing school-related stress?

Nothing beats sleep. Make sure you’re always getting a full night’s rest. It is really enticing to stay up late or pull all-nighters in order to finish your work, but you should always make an effort to prioritize your health. Pushing yourself too hard can lead to a lot of stress and often does more harm than good.