Profile

I am a graduating Mechatronics Engineering student at the University of Waterloo, expecting to complete my Undergraduate degree in April 2010.

HERITAGE

I was born in the Thailand refugee camps after my family escaped from the Cambodian genocide (1975-1979). We immigrated to Canada when I was three years old. Currently a Canadian Citizen, I grew up in a small town in Ontario before pursuing studies at Waterloo.

DREAMS

I don't live life to make easy decisions.

I learned relatively early that fulfilling my dreams meant tackling tough decisions head on. My dreams shaped my high school decisions, university life and co-operative work terms as I've been actively revising my career plans, doing extensive research, and conducting mini experiments to explore the realities around me.

I am lucky to be gifted with an ambitious drive and empathetic heart that feeds my courage to make tough decisions and quench my relentless need to achieve while coping with exceedingly high personal stress levels.

My childhood dream that I still pursue which is just within my grasp: enable early retirement for my parents. I realize it does sound silly, especially in this current economic climate, but there's nothing I've wished for more than to eliminate their toils and poverty. In recent years, mother's illness and father's one week collapse slapped me with reality and reminded me how fast the clock was ticking. But I've also come to realize that I don't need to be a superhero. And the wisdom after attempting hastily assures me that there are alternate ways to make that dream a reality without sacrificing all of my other dreams.

EXPERIENCES

Over the years, I've acquired a diverse set of skills from work experiences, volunteer experiences, extracurricular activities and self-study.

Before university, I performed various agricultural labourer jobs and was a waitress at a family restaurant. Extracurricular activities included tutoring peers and adults, playing flute with the school band, and leading the Yearbook Committee and Art Club.

At the University of Waterloo, I got involved with Tae Kwon Do, Campus Recreation intramural basketball, English tutoring for international students, the Canadian Undergraduate Technology Conference, Velocity mobile, web, and media incubator, and most recently EPIC Technology Foundation.

My six co-operative work terms span the Automotives, Finance, Telecommunications, and Technology Start-ups space. With a goal-driven attitude, I succeeded in excelling at the technical positions while developing communications and leadership skills.

PASSIONS

After exploring and acquiring new experiences, two particular passions stand out amongst my diverse interests: foreign languages and machine intelligence.

Growing up, I've been exposed to many different languages: Khmer, English, French, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Japanese. When I was 17 years old, I started self-studying both Mandarin and Japanese and have been persistently continuing since then. Foreign languages bring with it richness in culture and communication strategies.

I recently discovered the field of machine intelligence and soft computing which are related to the artificial intelligence field. This branch of intelligent technologies is capable of approximate reasoning based on incomplete or vague information, gathering information efficiently, and controlling highly complex systems. The technologies greatly differ from traditional sequential algorithms and much of the standards, algorithms, and optimization are still being researched.

ASPIRATIONS

As a generalist specialist, I strive to develop both my technical skills and soft skills through extensive extracurricular involvement and self-study. Along the way, I've acquired general knowledge about various aspects of electro-mechanical systems, deepened my computer networking background, and currently picking up again web development. My current strategic move is to hone my software skills.

As I prepare to start my professional career, I seek opportunities to work with those that pursue their work with relentless passion and whom I can share my values for professionalism and integrity.