BrainHurricane

9 June 2014, by Jeffrey Ip (University of Toronto)

Case owners introduced us to our case studies today. I arrived at Cara Commons not knowing what to expect, and was met by friendly people in business attire. I sat down at the table with my group members, and speakers approached the podium soon after. Important people like the Dean of Ryerson University's Science department, the Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the Wetskills Program Manager introduces the Wetskills background and the programme in Canada. Among other things, I learned that Netherlands is a Kingdom. Case Owners were next to take the stage, and I jotted notes as they spoke, learning much about the water industry, and some of the latest projects industry professionals are focused on.

The most interesting part of the morning's events for me, however, were the short speeches made by the Expert panel. Successful people with a variety of talents, each with their own area of expertise introduced themselves. Some had specialized technical knowledge and experience with municipal stormwater management projects. Others were entrepreneurs. The variety of perspectives represented by the Expert panel opened my eyes to the many paths that people can take to career success. When it came time for each group to ask questions to the Experts, I mostly sat and listened attentively.

 

By the time the Q&A sessions were over, I was quite tired. Luckily, the rest of the day was an open work period. My team made a good start. They seem mature, intelligent, and friendly, and I expect to learn much with them and from them in the remaining time.

-Jeffrey Ip