Q&A with Lama Abdulal

Success to me is looking back at how much I have grown both academically and outside of class. I always feel grateful and proud of what I have achieved, from my summer research projects to the presentations that I gave, and I try to feel optimistic about the things that I will achieve in the future.

Lama Abdulal

Fourth Year Civil Engineering and Artificial Intelligence Systems Engineering with a Short and Long Term Co-op

 

Lama is a student ambassador here to answer your questions. Click here to contact Lama.

Why Western Engineering?

I found that Engineering is a great discipline if you do not know exactly what you want to study. The transition from high school math and science courses to my first year engineering courses was actually gradual and started with familiar concepts before building up. I truly appreciated how supportive my engineering community has been from my first year until now. From first year, Western Engineering has offered me many opportunities to share my experiences and passion with fellow students. I also found the common first year to be very helpful in informing my choice of program in my upper years.

What do you do in your spare time?

In my spare time, I help my siblings with studying and I enjoy getting groceries with my mom. I also love tutoring students in math and physics courses, as this reflects my passion for teaching, mathematics, and studying. While engineering clubs are technically within our school schedule, I use a lot of my spare time to brainstorm how to use what I learned to tackle our engineering challenges. 

What was your orientation week experience like as a first-year student?

Orientation week was an exciting week full of new experiences: from understanding my course schedule to exploring campus and getting my student card! It was interesting to gradually know more people in my classes and to discover the different campus buildings and the many walkways on campus. Make sure to have fun and enjoy the start of your new journey!

Why did you choose your specific stream of engineering?

I started in Civil Engineering in second year, as I felt this stream was the best fit for me and I saw  how friendly and welcoming the Civil faculty members were. In my second year, I really enjoyed our Computational Methods course, and it made me consider coding as a potential add-on to my discipline. I then learned about the AISE program from my classmates and asked multiple faculty members for advice. Eventually, I enrolled in the AISE combined degree along my Civil studies. I found how contradictory these two streams are but how well their skills and technical fields compliment each other.

What is your favourite book, movie or TV show?

My favourite movie is The Argo, but I have recently been watching a lot of Shark Tank with my brother.

Who do you look up to/admire and why?

I met and learned from many people during my time at Western Engineering. I look up to my undergraduate research supervisor, who I learned a lot from and has always encouraged me to pursue further studies. I also look up to my parents, who taught me discipline and to always be ambitious and hopeful that I can do what I hope to do in the future.