SPARK After Hours

In the final episode of season 3, our co-chairs Shreya and Ananya, welcome Amanda, popular STEM social media influencer and a final year Integrated Science student at McMaster University. Amanda discusses her journey to being a social media influencer and how her university project during the pandemic has turned into her full-time side hustle. She shares her tips about surviving university and having a healthy balance all while enjoying the journey. Join us today as we unravel a load of advice behind motivation, university, studying and be prepared for an insightful conversation from your “uni bestie”.

In this episode, we welcome Jaimil Dalwadi, a computer science student at the University of Waterloo, to share insights into STEM. Jaimil discusses the challenges and triumphs of his academic journey, offering a perspective on the skills needed to excel at a top-tier university. The conversation extends to high school preparation, with Jaimil providing advice on extracurriculars and strategies for success in STEM programs. Whether you're a student or curious about computer science, join us for valuable insights into navigating academia and excelling in STEM with Jaimil Dalwadi.

Tune in to learn about Andrea Chakma’s journey, a Mechatronics Engineering alum from the University of Waterloo, as she shares her inspiring story of leadership, diverse internships at tech giants like Splunk and financial institutions like RBC, and her commitment to making a positive impact.

Hear about her prestigious Pearl Sullivan Emerging Global Leaders Award, adventures with Girl Guides of Canada, and much more!

Whether you're a STEM enthusiast, aspiring engineer, or simply curious about the intersection of technology and positive change, this episode is packed with wisdom and passion.

Join us in Episode 5, hosted by Risha and Haley as they dive into the incredible journey of Helen Li, a Waterloo student blazing a trail in software engineering.
From high school to university, Helen shares her challenges, projects, and key insights for aspiring students. Get ready for a dose of inspiration and valuable tips on shaping your path to success!

In this episode, our executives Ananya and Samaira dive deep into the future of technology in various career fields with a leadership performance coach, Issa Paez. Issa is the founder of Arete Leadership, a leadership program elevating leaders of tomorrow.

In this episode, we discuss the process of the challenging journey to being accepted to Medical School in Canada and the process as a whole with Vidhi Bhatt and Shubh Patel. Vidhi and Shubh both completed their undergrad programs early in just 3 years and are now first year Medical Students at UFT’s Temerty School of Medicine, one of Canada’s best medical schools. Today we will gain an insight into their process of applying to Med school, their unique extracurriculars and tips on how to improve your chances of getting accepted overall.

Get ready for an exciting episode where we dive deep into the incredible journey of Saumya Gupta, a graduate from University of Waterloo’s computer science co-op program. She's not just a brilliant data engineer at SkyWatch; she's also a Commonwealth Games athlete representing Kenya! We'll explore how she expertly balances her love for professional badminton with her career dreams in the startup world, all while relocating from Kenya to Canada. Get ready to be inspired by her advice and personal experiences on chasing dreams and achieving goals while discussing her perspective on the world of software engineering.

Connect with Saumya on LinkedIn!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/saumyagupta278/

In the first episode of SPARK After Hours Season 3, we dive deep into university applications and learn about success in high school with the valuable insights of Keya Tiwari! Keya Tiwari is a 2nd-year Computer Engineering student at the University of Waterloo and has worked in IT, software, and application development at various companies. She is a Director for Waterloo Women in Engineering (WiE), an organization that encourages women to pursue STEM fields. Additionally, she is the Chairwoman of CS Connect, a nonprofit that aims to connect all computer science clubs and enthusiasts across Ontario. In this episode, we explore Keya's tips to increase your chances of getting into your dream university, and to ensure a smooth transition from high school to post-secondary.

In this episode, we discuss diversity in STEM, high-level education, and the future of genetics with Roopali Chaudhary! Dr. Chaudhary is the CEO of an organization called Lotus STEMM which provides a networking and leadership platform for South Asian women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Medicine (STEMM). Alongside this, she is a cell biology specialist at Allarta Life Science, a research associate at McMaster University and a content editor for Sci-Illustrate. Today we will gain more insight into her organization, time spent in research, and advice on how to break into the post-secondary environment.

In this episode, we discuss exactly what goes into making video games with Owen Goss! Owen is the co-founder at Milkbag Games. He has run his own businesses for over 15 years, and today, we’ll be exploring how he started off in this field, from his experience in software development to his world-impacting work with his very own game studios.

In this episode, Neil Mitra talks about combining his interests in science with entrepreneurship. Neil highlights his experiences of participating in the science fairs, launching 2 well-established startups, and balancing this with high school. With tips on time management, innovation and entrepreneurship, this episode can help take your ideas to the next level.

In this episode, we’ll be discussing aerospace with the wonderful Nimita Wadhwa. She is truly a visionary and a remarkable individual with a profound interest in Aerospace Engineering. We will be discussing the aerospace industry, women in STEM, the future of aerospace and how it will impact you sooner than you might think.

Nimita's useful links:

https://asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/jobs/10-tips-on-how-to-pursue-a-career-in-the-space-sector.asp

https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/satellites/everyday-lives/10-ways-that-satellites-helped.asp

https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/satellites/radarsat/users.asp

https://www.canada.ca/en/services/jobs/opportunities/government.html

For episode 3, we’ll be going in-depth about Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning with Devejya Raghuvanshi - who is an exceptional Data Engineer at SnapCommerce, as well as the host of the Unlabelled Unstructured podcast. We’ll be discussing his past experiences, accomplishments and strengths with Data Science and asking him for tips on beginning a career related to technology.

In this episode, we touch on failure, technology, and determination with Adithya Venkatarao! Adithya is an advanced software engineer at Veeva Systems who faced numerous challenges as a Computer Science major at the University of Waterloo. He breathes life into the saying, “It’s not always sunshine and rainbows” and explains how the comeback can be greater than the setback. We’ll be reflecting on his failures and how they propelled him to a successful position today.

In this episode, we discuss internships, investing, and invention with Jai Betala! Jai is a Computing and Financial Management student at the University of Waterloo in Ontario. He has worked to found one of the largest youth-led organizations in the GTA, InvestBETA (@investbeta) to teach youth all about finance. We’ll be exploring his organization, internships, and going over his advice on transitioning to university.

In the last episode of Season 1 of SPARK After Hours, episode, Komal and Mehak talk with Stephanie Thompson. Stephanie Thompson is a Professional Engineering Team Leader at General Motors of Canada and CEO of STEM by Steph, a social enterprise that breaks down barriers for women and youth in STEM. In 2020, Stephanie was named Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada by the Women's Executive Network. Throughout the episode, we discuss her experience as an engineer of 20+ years at General Motors, empowering women in STEM, and if cereal or milk goes first!

In this episode, we discuss internships, technology, and innovation with Parth Sareen! Parth is an accomplished software engineer intern and mechanical engineering student who’s worked with leading tech companies such as Apple and Tesla. We’ll be discussing his projects at past internships and advice on standing out to recruiters.

This week we discuss innovation design, UX, and diversity, equity, and inclusion with Suzanne Balima!  Suzanne is an innovation designer at Vale, and has studied UX Design, Innovation Strategy, and Mechanical Engineering. She is passionate about designing creative business solutions with a real social impact! We’ll delve into her experiences as a designer and a BIPOC woman in tech, and we’ll learn all about design along the way.

If the world of software piques your interest, then listening to this episode is a must! Meet Akshay Pall, a software engineering student at the University of Waterloo. From interning at Facebook, Yahoo and CBC to being a three-time Dean’s List award winner, find out how Akshay was able to build a name for himself in just a few years!

Today we discuss mechanical engineering and goal setting with 4th Year Waterloo mechanical engineering student, Tamer. Specifically, we discuss Tamer’s time with the Formula-E team, his Capstone Engineering Project and the importance of goal setting. We also have a bit of fun, and challenge Tamer with his TikTok knowledge.

Throughout high school and university, Janelle Hinds showed a strong passion for designing mobile applications and has been coined the “Mobile App Queen” by her friends and network. Today, Janelle is an entrepreneur, public speaker, facilitator and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion consultant. She is also the Executive and Director of Helping Hands, which is a non-profit organization and app matches high school students with volunteering opportunities to help meet community involvement requirements and help local businesses. Due to her work with Helping Hands, Janelle was named a Forbes 30 Under 30 Changemaker in the education sector in 2019. She also attended McMaster University as a biomedical and electrical engineering student where she formed Delta Hacks for university students.

In this episode, we discuss the importance of racial inclusion in STEAM, and how we can encourage racial minorities in these fields. We also talk about Cristina Perez’s company “DalmondFx” and her experience working as a data scientist.

Interviewing Nirmal Hegde, a first-year undergraduate student at the University of Waterloo. Discussions about University life, personal experiences and the culture in SYDE. Tune in for all things systems and more!