Like many new students, Aidan Mackay found his first year at the University of British Columbia both challenging and rewarding. The 2024 St. Michaels University School graduate and Head Prefect had worked hard to prepare himself for university, but even he was surprised when he was invited to a special recruiting dinner hosted by the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering.
The event brought together about 60 of the top-performing first-year students in general engineering. The dinner introduced them to the department, allowed them to connect with potential future employers, and offered insight into the newly launched Industrial and Research Scholars Program — an initiative that gives select students the chance to work closely with industry professionals and researchers on upper-year projects. It’s a prestigious opportunity that could significantly boost Aidan’s resume as he begins to think about life after graduation.
Although he’s currently leaning toward engineering physics and electrical engineering, Aidan recognized the privilege of being included by the chemical and biological engineering faculty. He credits his high school experience at SMUS for setting him up for success.
“It was great teaching and access to advanced classes at SMUS that helped me succeed,” he said. “A lot of the classes I took in my first year at UBC were based on concepts I had learned at SMUS. It was also helpful having AP classes available — it gave me the freedom to shift courses to make my course load work better.”
That flexibility proved valuable as he adjusted to the academic demands of university. One of the biggest challenges, he said, was managing his time. With little in-class time allocated for assignments, group work and study sessions had to be organized outside of lectures. Not having to take the full slate of 13 first-year engineering courses gave him space to keep up.
“I pulled away from extracurriculars and focused more on my academics in order to get a high average for second-year program placement,” he said. “That really paid off, since the program I’m likely going into next year — engineering physics — is one of the hardest to get into.”
Alongside the academic focus, Aidan has also appreciated the community he’s found at UBC. He’s made strong friendships and found support through a growing network of SMUS alumni also studying at the university.
Looking ahead to at least three more years of study, he’s excited to keep building on what he’s started. “Some of the most rewarding things have been meeting people interested in the same subjects as me, and getting to learn a lot more about the things I’m passionate about,” he said. “It’s really great going to lectures and learning about subjects that I might apply in the working world.”
