Technology to the students

Future engineers check and control automation robot

While the technical skills are key to the success of an engineer, so too are creativity, problem-solving, leadership and experience. As workplaces rapidly transform, these skills will be more important than ever, something that was kept top of mind with the development of the Lassonde School of Engineering’s new Mechatronics Bachelor of Engineering degree, says Dean Jane Goodyer.

“What excites me most about mechatronics engineering is the creativity, empathy and big-picture thinking it demands,” she says.

“We’re preparing students to lead in a world transformed by AI – equipping them to use it as a tool, understand its limitations, and apply it ethically and responsibly to solve problems people care about most.”

This integrated and interdisciplinary degree will give students the broad, higher-level engineering skills necessary to use advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies to solve today’s complex challenges.

As we increasingly rely on more advanced, often AI-driven technologies, future graduates of the program could be the ones to create next-generation medical devices to improve patient care, design renewable energy systems or develop smart technologies that can be integrated into people’s homes, workplaces, schools and communities to improve lives.

“I would absolutely recommend the mechatronics program to students who are looking for a balance of creativity, design and technology.”

What makes the program stand out is that students take courses in mechanical, electrical, software, computer and space engineering, as well as computer science, which gives them the tools to be more creative and innovative. Hands-on learning is a large component of their studies and could include working on systems for spacecraft attitude control, drone navigation and robotic automation, as well as vibration testing, satellite communications, flight software development and hardware testing for components heading into space.

“The goal of mechatronics is to provide the necessary technical background so that any graduate is well-prepared for that, but also providing the soft skills, work and life experiences that will make them well-suited for careers in industry,” says Mechatronics Program Director Michael Jenkin, also a professor at Lassonde. “One of the things that’s particularly exciting about mechatronics is that the systems interact with the real world. So, it’s not just something in software that exists in simulated isolation.”

In the first-year block model option, students focus on one course at a time rather than juggling several at once. Lassonde has tested this approach in recent years, and early results show it is helping students achieve higher grades, reduce stress and find a better study-life balance. Another innovation is cross-year collaboration, with students in upper years acting as mentors to students in lower years.

Third-year engineering student Chantal Hanna, who recently transitioned into the mechatronics engineering discipline to prepare for a career in robotic automation, says the program opens doors to a wide range of emerging fields.

“I would absolutely recommend the mechatronics program to students who are looking for a balance of creativity, design and technology,” says Hanna.

“Mechatronics is teaching me to see technology not just as machinery, but as a way to connect with the future and innovate with purpose. There are always new advancements in tech, and this is the field that will continue to grow alongside those advancements.”

Students will also gain work experience through two mandatory work terms, plus optional co-op placements. “With work-integrated learning and strong employer partnerships, our graduates will be ready to shape technology that connects with society and ensures AI serves people first,” says Goodyer.