Name: Sahar Sajjad

Program: Civil Engineering

University(s) / College(s) Attended: University of Waterloo

Education / Degree(s): Bachelor of Applied Sciences

Current Job Title: Structural Engineer

Current Employer: LEA Consulting Ltd.

Email: Send Email

Fun Facts About Me

Share one fun fact about yourself:
I do illustrations, digital and watercolors in my free time. I enjoy drawing cartoon characters the most!

The most inspiring engineer I know is ....... Because ........ ?:
A co-worker at one of my co-op terms. She, like me, loved both art and engineering so always approached her projects with a combination of creativity and logical reasoning. Most importantly, she was always available to help, and explained the most complex problems in easy to understand terms.

Profile Questions

Why did you choose to study engineering?:
I have always enjoyed math and learning about building designs. When it came to choosing a program, I knew I would love studying subjects that applied science, math and logical application to real world problems. I decided to go for civil engineering as it would allow me to understand the built world!

How do you apply your engineering degree to your current career?:
Formally, I worked as an Engineer-in-Training for a structural engineering firm. I used my knowledge of concrete, steel and timber design daily to design structures that included houses, condominiums, school buildings and even sculptures! I learnt how to build models and analyze them in different software

Informally, the logical reasoning that I learnt at engineering school helps me in different ways every day. I developed self-learning skills which means if I need to learn something new, I know how to find sources and structure lessons that make me learn new skills fast.

What advice would you give to someone hoping to pursue a career in engineering?:
Make sure you understand the field you are choosing including the lifestyle, technical and soft skills that are required to thrive in engineering. Research about companies and inspirational people in your field of engineering! Once you are in, always be curious. Some days might be rough. Take it one step at a time, but don’t give up!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *