{"id":659,"date":"2026-01-28T09:25:50","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T14:25:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yorku.ca\/ascend\/?post_type=article&p=659"},"modified":"2026-01-30T10:07:16","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T15:07:16","slug":"technology-to-the-students","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.yorku.ca\/ascend\/article\/technology-to-the-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Technology to the students"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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\u2019s new Mechatronics Bachelor of Engineering degree<\/a>, says Dean Jane Goodyer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat excites me most about mechatronics engineering is the creativity, empathy and big-picture thinking it demands,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re preparing students to lead in a world transformed by AI \u2013 equipping them to use it as a tool, understand its limitations, and apply it ethically and responsibly to solve problems people care about most.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s complex challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s homes, workplaces, schools and communities to improve lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cI would absolutely recommend the mechatronics program to students who are looking for a balance of creativity, design and technology.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe 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,\u201d says Mechatronics Program Director Michael Jenkin, also a professor at Lassonde. \u201cOne of the things that\u2019s particularly exciting about mechatronics is that the systems interact with the real world. So, it\u2019s not just something in software that exists in simulated isolation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI would absolutely recommend the mechatronics program to students who are looking for a balance of creativity, design and technology,\u201d says Hanna. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMechatronics 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Students will also gain work experience through two mandatory work terms, plus optional co-op placements. \u201cWith 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,\u201d says Goodyer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[38],"class_list":["post-659","article","type-article","status-publish","hentry","category-tech-engineering","tag-lassonde-school-of-engineering"],"yoast_head":"\nTechnology to the students - Ascend Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yorku.ca\/ascend\/article\/technology-to-the-students\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Technology to the students - Ascend Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"While the technical skills are key to the success of an engineer, so too are creativity, problem-solving, leadership and experience. 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