Ontario Tech University grows leadership and sustainability in engineering by hosting First Year Integration Conference
November 24, 2023
Ontario Tech University recently hosted the annual provincewide First Year Integration Conference (FYIC), demonstrating the university’s ongoing commitment to innovation, collaboration and the future of engineering.
The event, held from November 10 to 12, was coordinated by the FYIC Organizing Committee and brought together undergraduate students from diverse engineering backgrounds.
Presented by the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers, FYIC 2023’s overarching purpose was to guide first-year students from 16 different university engineering programs (affiliated with the Engineering Student Societies’ Council of Ontario) toward leadership roles. FYIC emphasized the importance of social responsibility, with a special focus on sustainability.
"The future is not a distant concept: it is the sum of the choices we make today,” says final-year Ontario Tech Mechatronics Engineering student Siobhan Anderson, Co-Organizer of FYIC 2023. “Leadership is not a passive option. It is a choice made by anyone willing to embrace the challenges and responsibilities it entails.”
The conference's spotlight on sustainability resonated deeply with participants, highlighting the crucial role engineers play in environmental protection. The conference's 88 student attendees earned their participation through a competitive application process.
Attendees engaged in sessions led by industry professionals, professors, and alumni. Dr. Martin Agelin-Chaab, Professor and Department Chair of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at Ontario Tech, encouraged students to "ask hard questions, challenge existing paradigms, and engage wholeheartedly" for a fulfilling academic journey.
“I believe once you do that, you are going to benefit and enrich your academic journey, and you will learn something from this conference to become future leaders,” Dr. Agelin-Chaab says.
This year marked the second occasion in the past five years that Ontario Tech University proudly hosted FYIC.
