Exchange programs are a veritable smorgasbord of experiences and the journey of each individual differs depending on their interests. As an aspiring researcher, I was privileged to have been able to join the Wireless Sensors and Devices Lab at UWaterloo as a visiting student during my 4 months in Canada.
The Wireless Sensors and Devices Lab at the University of Waterloo develops State-of-the-Art electromagnetic technologies for wireless communications, sensing, wireless power transfer, and remote actuation. During my time spent at the University, I worked on the development of a non-contact posture sensing device with a PhD student under the supervisorship of the lab head, Dr George Shaker.
Over the next few months, I had the experience of:
1) Interacting with the team and learning from the work they do
2) Working in -13deg weather in a cold outdoor garage
3) Participating in a regional conference as an author
4) Pretending to be a Waterloo student in a corporate video shoot (for which I thankfully do not have images for)
5) Participating in an End-of-Year celebration with the lab members
The entire experience has been an invaluable one in terms of growth for me and it is one that I would highly encourage future students to explore. To be able to work with and learn from people of different backgrounds and expertise is a key skill for one to develop and I will be forever thankful to the WSDL team at UWaterloo for the opportunity they’ve provided.
-Xavier
