Q&A with Nathan McCuaig

The people that you meet here are some of the most supportive peers, professors, and friends you’ll ever have.

Nathan McCuaig

Third Year Electrical Engineering and Ivey HBA

 

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

Why Western Engineering?

The people. Originally I chose Western Engineering because there are so many opportunities to diversify your degree between all the possible dual degrees. Whether it was business, AI, or biomed, I knew that coming to Western would allow me to explore multiple fields and interests. However, what I quickly learned was that all of this is made so easy because of the strong eng community. The people that you meet here are some of the most supportive peers, professors, and friends you’ll ever have.

What do you do in your spare time?

I am a huge advocate for the “work hard, play hard” mindset, from personal experience I find that I thrive more in both school and work if I’m also having fun. In my spare time I love to go out with friends and find new things to do. Recently I’ve really been into escape rooms, trying new restaurants, and London’s trampoline parks. I also love volleyball so in the school year you’ll always find me on an intramural team, still working to win the famous purple shirt though…

Can you talk about your extracurricular activities at Western?

At Western I’ve had the privilege of being part of numerous teams. I’m currently an Eng Soph, a USC Councillor, and a Schulich Leader Squad Captain. Between these roles I work with amazing teams to integrate the new additions to our eng family, advocate for student life and the interests of the UES, and support some of Western’s top leaders in STEM. I strongly encourage you to get involved because these experiences strengthen soft skills while also connecting you with pretty awesome people.

Why did you choose your specific stream of engineering?

I chose to study mechatronic systems because I’m a problem solver at heart, and with the increased demand for innovative and technological solutions to our everyday problems, I felt as though the opportunities with mechatronics were endless. The combination between mechanical, electrical, and software engineering concepts allows for a comprehensive understanding of many emerging systems we see today, and alongside the business dual degree, I can get a strong balance of technical and soft skills.

What is your favourite book, movie or TV show?

My favourite movie is tough to pick, but I think I need to go with Ocean’s 11. I’m a sucker for ensemble casts and this one is stacked, you have Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and George Clooney all together. Besides the cast though, Ocean’s 11 is a classic heist movie, and come on, how can you not love that ending? The only thing that would make this movie better is if they had a couple more engineers on their team.

Who do you look up to/admire and why?

Someone I really look up to is my dad. He’s also an engineer and until a few years ago, I thought his job might’ve been the most boring thing in the world… I don’t know what I was thinking. Since deciding that I wanted to be an engineer, and after seeing all the hard work that goes into it, I’ve grown to admire how he’s made it all these years without completely losing his hair. In all seriousness, my dad has been a great mentor and I hope that I can inspire someone the same way he did for me.