Degrees Completed
- MASc 2015
Courses Taken
Educational Pathway
What were you doing before you came to building science at UofT?
I was in high school and working as a tennis instructor. I had a longstanding interest in sustainability and health and was motivated to pursue a career in this space.
How did building science courses prepare you for your career path and aspirations?
My focus is on high performance buildings that are both healthy and sustainable. My training in building science at U of T has been fundamental to my work in this space. The theoretical knowledge I gained has been tremendously helpful in all projects I’ve worked on in both industry and research positions. My interests have led me to many positions that might be considered outside of the realm of more “traditional” building science positions. I’m currently pursuing a PhD in public health, focused on improving health outcomes associated with buildings, and I could not be more grateful for my past training in building science. This experience has further emphasized the importance of a strong technical understanding of building science principles and the ability to apply it to multiple fields and projects for more comprehensive solutions to the built environment challenges we face.
What advice would you give to new building science students?
Your building science skills can be applied to many areas in practice, and there is a need for it! When I first started my professional career, I thought building science meant a job in restoration, but I was mistaken. While this is certainly one career path, I’ve found much success and more personal enjoyment applying what I’ve learned in building science to different areas of building design and operation in industry and research, largely focused on sustainability and health outcomes of the built environment. I feel my building science background has given me the skills and mindset to approach sustainable and healthy buildings from a highly technical lens, which has allowed for a deeper understanding and evaluation of both problems and solutions related to multiple topics in the built environment.
What core building science courses have you taken?
CIV375/CIV575 Building Science;CIV576 Sustainable Buildings;CIV 498 Building Science Design Module;CIV 1320 Indoor Air Quality (Now Indoor Air Quality: Transport and Control);
What was your favourite non-building science course that you took and why was it your favourite?
ENV100H1 Intro to the Environment