2011 Seminar Leaders
Amy Jiang
Amy Jiang is a Master of Civil Engineering student specializing in engineering sustainability. She completed her undergraduate degree in Engineering Science (Infrastructure) at the University of Toronto. Prior to starting her Master degree, she worked for 5 years in transportation engineering in Canada, Ireland and Australia. She is inspired by the elegance of Civil Engineering, and has taught several high-school level courses on the subject in Canada. She enjoys the creativity and energy the students bring. In her spare time she has been an event organizer, mentor, student newspaper/magazine editor, fundraiser, dragon-boater, runner and traveler. She enjoys travelling the most. She looks forward to sharing her passion for elegant civil design with the conference delegates.
Graeme Maitland
Born and raised in Calgary Alberta, Graeme will be graduating from University of Toronto in June 2011 with a Honours Bachelor of Arts. His degree was a Joint Specialist in History and Political Science with a Minor in East Asian Studies, allowing him to comparatively study European, Canadian, and Chinese political systems. His love of politics and international relations has led him to want to study it more and teach others about its importance in everyday life. His seminar will focus on the United Nations and how it can be best used as a case study for modern international relations.
Nicholas Yeung
Nicholas Yeung is currently Ph.D. Student specializing in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research at the University of Toronto. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering Science Degree also from the University of Toronto. Born in Hong Kong, Nicholas immigrated with his family to Canada when he was only 5 years old and has had his entire education in Canada. Although raised in Canada, Nicholas considers himself a good mix of both Chinese and Canadian Culture. In his spare time, he enjoys playing Ultimate Frisbee, Singing K, Traveling and Cooking. Through UTACCEL, he hopes to inspire Chinese students to expand their horizons and pursue areas of interest that their traditional education in China may not expose them to.
Alex Ayers
Alex Ayers is a Masters student in Materials Science and Engineering specializing in nanomaterials. Also, he works full time as a structures and materials engineer at Pratt & Whitney Canada (a manufacturer of aircraft engines) developing next-generation engine families. Having worked for over 6 years in aviation and completed his undergraduate degree in Engineering Science (Aerospace) at the University of Toronto, Alex will share his passion for the elegance and engineering design of aerodynamic shapes. Outside of work and studies, Alex enjoys SCUBA diving, camping, travelling and cooking.
Jana Chu
Jana Chu conducts legal analysis for a Toronto-based corporate law firm. She has examined cases from the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Canada relating to loan agreements, voting trusts and letters of intent. She is a LL.B. Candidate at the University of Leeds. Prior to law school, she earned the Ting Fang Chung Scholarship to complete her M.A. in East Asian Studies, the entrance scholarship for the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management Bridge to Business Program, and the Queen Elizabeth II Aiming for the Top Scholarship to obtain her Hon. B.A. at the University of Toronto.
Damian Durlik
Damian Durlik is a graduating 4th year Materials Science and Engineering Student from the University of Toronto. He has been involved in student governments, competed within dragonboat and waterpolo teams, and has been a Frosh Leader for Engineering Frosh Weeks! Damian is passionate about teaching and leadership development and strives to help others become better leaders! While taking a break from school, Damian trains for triathlons and is learning to produce electronic music.
Rohaan Ahmed
My name is Rohaan Ahmed and I am a recent graduate from Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Toronto, specializing in Energy and Control Systems with a minor in Sustainable Engineering and Development. I have a passion for the global energy industry and its ever-changing dynamics, and am fascinated by its impacts at global, national and individual scales.
I believe that the current global energy climate offers tremendous opportunities for engineers, entrepreneurs and intelligent policy makers, as can be seen with the current “clean-tech bubble”, and believe that countries that can harness this change will form the global superpowers of the future.
Fiona Lee
My name is Fiona Lee and I am a driven young student currently studying Life Sciences at the University of Toronto St. George Campus. I strive to make a difference through the practice of being involved with, and giving back to, the downtown Toronto community. I believe that the beginning of a positive contribution is to first be successful and happy with oneself. I am currently a research assistant in the Department of Anthropology, and a Team Leader and coordinator of St. Patrick’s Youth Group. Most importantly, I am passionate about sharing my unique knowledge and experiences with other thriving, hard-working, and determined students in our world of perpetual learning.
Mark Sun
Hello! My name is Mark. I am currently completing my Master degree in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto. At the age of 8, my family and I immigrated from Sichuan China to Canada. Being a part of a generation of people blessed with opportunities and choices, I believe in following my dreams to make a difference in our world. My passion is to apply engineering principles to solve biomedical problems. Currently my graduate research studies a potential new drug target for the treatment of type II diabetes. I look forward to sharing my experiences, and hope to inspire youth in my home country to follow their own dreams.
Tyco Tat
Tyco Tat is a Toronto-based designer with a passion for creating meaningful objects and experiences that are socially and culturally relevant. Tyco is a recent graduate of the Industrial Design program at OCAD University, and also holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Waterloo (Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Kinesiology). His work has been exhibited in various design shows and has been published locally and internationally. Through his seminar, Tyco hopes to share his passion for design as a process and hopes to inspire others to embrace the importance of creativity in all aspects of work, studies, and life.