UBC Applied Science is back in 2023 and offering packages in five engineering disciplines, architecture and landscape architecture, community and regional planning, and nursing. Fourth-year undergraduate Ahijit Banerjee shares his experience as a UBC engineering student, along with this Instagram Reel.

1. Tell us about yourself?

I choose UBC because of the strong sense of a sustainable and safe engineering mindset, along with the large, diverse community: the size of our campus gave me an opportunity to meet with a lot more people, outside of engineering as well.

As a kid, I always liked to build things and take them apart—whether it was making things with LEGO or taking apart my remote-controlled car to fix it.

2. What cool project have you done at UBC?

I’m currently working on my capstone project with UBC Rocket, an engineering student design team. My team is designing the main parachute release mechanism. Since traditional mechanical systems are not very reliable under extreme conditions inside a rocket, we ended up settling on a pyrotechnic release mechanism. This is really cool because the margin for error in the project is very low, while ensuring the mechanism is safe and reliable.

3. What is a fun fact about your study experience?

I absolutely loved the hands-on projects we had throughout the first year in general UBC Engineering, which is why chose to study mechanical engineering. There are 14 engineering disciplines at UBC, so there’s lots to choose from!

4. What is your favorite thing to do at UBC in the Vancouver area in summer?

Hikes! I love the outdoors and spend most of the summer trying to hit up as many trails as possible. Hiking up through any kind of terrain and swimming in lakes is the best!

5. Do you have any advise for prospective VSP Students?

Don’t be afraid of going outside your comfort zone—as a summer student, there might be a lot of new things you might be exposed to in a short amount of time. Be sure to enjoy them to the fullest. And, take time for yourself to enjoy the sun while it lasts!

Engineering at VSP

UBC Applied Science has packages from five engineering disciplines in VSP.

Chemical and Biological Engineering

Learn the foundations of the discipline, and explore topics in beverage production, thinking like an engineer and green engineering.

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Civil Engineering

Interested in the built environment? Delve into computer applications in civil engineering, structural materials and concrete technology.

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Electrical and Computer Engineering

Learn principals of the modern Internet: explore algorithms and the web, and dive into building modern web applications.

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Materials Engineering

Explore new frontiers in materials with an introduction to nanofibre technology and additive manufacturing.

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Mechanical Engineering

Enter the world of movement + energy by getting hands-on with robotics, and learning principles in vehicle design and transportation

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Beyond engineering, UBC Applied Science also offers packages in Architecture and Landscape Architecture, Community and Regional Planning, and Nursing.