Engineering
In 2016, Matthew proudly earned his Iron Ring and graduated from Carleton University with a Bachelors Degree in Architectural Conservation & Sustainability Engineering. He has since been working in the Civil Engineering Industry as an Engineer-In-Training, and aspires to achieve his Professional Engineering License in 2020.
Graduating with a B.Eng., June 2016.
Obtaining the Iron Ring, Spring 2016.
Sustainability
Matthew is passionate about Environmental Sustainability. Growing up being always close to nature, he developed a love for the outdoors and preserving them. It is this love for nature that influenced him to studying Engineering to begin with. Matthew hopes to foster a career that will help protect nature, such that future generations can enjoy it the same way he did.
Matthew reflected upon sustainability being the purpose for his entry into engineering when he was featured on the National Engineering Month blog, which can be read here.
Matthew has a great deal of interest in Green building design, and is currently in the process of obtaining the LEED Green Associate certification.
Technology & Innovation
Matthew is an optimist about our technology future. He believes that the rapid technological advancements we are experiencing will lead society to a future akin to Star-Trek or “The Culture” found in Ian M Banks works such as “The Player of Games”, and not towards the dystopian futures like the ones found in Isaac Asimov’s “iRobot”, or George Orwell’s “1984”. Matthew believes that as an Engineer, he holds a degree of accountability to society to ensure that the technologies we as engineers introduce are used for the highest possible good, to help people, and to help the planet. It is this belief that has lead him to take interest in volunteering within organizations such as Engineers Without Borders, and the Engineering Change Lab. Matthew is hopeful that his career will allow him to bring about positive change within the Engineering field, and furthermore society.
Matthew is a firm believer that in order to further our technological development, we require a more diverse and inclusive engineering profession. That is why Matthew actively volunteers with many Engineering Advocacy groups (such as National Engineering Month, Engineers Without Borders, and OSPE) to promote engineering outreach to youth, as well as to help further the relationship between engineers and society.
In 2016, Matthew and his close friend Hannah co-founded a Social Media campaign called “Humans of Global Engineering” (or “HOGE”) for short. A take off of the photographer Brandon Stanton’s wildly successful Humans of New York photo-blog, Humans of Global Engineering was created to share personalized engineering stories with the goal of humanizing the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) professions - which are often left out of the traditional profession stories. The campaign runs annually during National Engineering Month (March), and Matthew has still works as one of the creative leads and editors of the project.
International Development
Throughout his undergraduate degree, Matthew has volunteered for multiple international organizations that seek to contribute to a more fair and equal future to those less fortunate around the world. Matthew has experience volunteering within the Organization Engineers Without Borders Canada (EWB), both while a student and professionally. While an undergraduate Matthew served as the Chapter President of EWB Carleton, where he gained valuable knowledge on sustainable development. He also has experience working on the ground, volunteering within a community in Ecuador for a month in 2015.
Political Advocacy
Matthew strongly believes that Engineers should play a greater role in politics, due to their vast technical knowledge and problem solving ability. He is passionate about having the Engineering voice heard in Canadian politics both on a local and federal level. On multiple occasions throughout his career so far, Matthew has had the opportunity to meet with many different members of both federal and provincial government to talk about issues that matter most to him, such as engineering policy, environmental sustainability, and international development finance.
Through 2016-2018, Matthew volunteered on the Federal Youth Council within his riding of Whitby Ontario. The council is a non-partisan group of students and graduates who meet frequently with the local member of parliament to discuss issues that are most important to them. He joined the council when it was first formed by MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes, and served as a Co-Chair member for a year.
Meeting Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes & Canada’s National Defense Minister, The Honourable Harjit Sajjan. 2016.
Meeting the Honorable Minister of Democratic Institutions, Karina Gould. 2016.
