This year marked the 11th iteration of , but the first one for University of Ottawa students. Markos Brown and Tanvi Pradhan, who are both biomedical mechanical engineering students at the Faculty of Engineering, along with Derik Thiessen and Sumayya Kheireddine, two students from the Telfer School of Management, entered the case competition as The Capital Catalysts. They crafted their name in keeping with the University鈥檚 location to symbolize their impact as 91精品黑料吃瓜鈥檚 inaugural team and inspire future participation in case competitions.
The Capital Catalysts benefitted from the guidance of three 91精品黑料吃瓜 coaches: Lionel Regis and Jason Demers (Faculty of Engineering), and Stephen Daze (Telfer School of Management).
About ENGCOMM
This year鈥檚 ENGCOMM took place from February 20 to February 24, 2024, in Montreal, Quebec. The week-long event combined networking, seminars, and social events to connect students across different post-secondary institutions and to encourage collaboration. The case competition comprised three separate cases: the multidisciplinary teams of four students worked together to solve two 6-hour cases and one 12-hour case.
鈥淓NGCOMM was a pivotal experience in allowing me to step out of my comfort zone. It helped me deepen my problem-solving and presentation skills, [and] my ability to communicate with my teammates [...].鈥
Tanvi Pradhan
鈥 Biomedical Mechanical Engineering student
For engineering students, this was more than just a competition; it was an opportunity to hone their problem-solving skills and apply their technical expertise to real-world business challenges. 鈥淓NGCOMM was a pivotal experience in allowing me to step out of my comfort zone. It helped me deepen my problem-solving and presentation skills, my ability to communicate with my teammates and most of all, my appreciation for the importance of teamwork in any situation,鈥 said Tanvi Pradhan, a member of the Capital Catalysts team. This collaboration bridged the gap between engineering and business; it gave students an opportunity to leverage their respective strengths towards a common goal.
鈥淓NGCOMM forced me to think outside of the box by considering implications of another discipline not commonly seen through my Faculty鈥檚 academic studies.鈥
Derik Thiessen
鈥 Telfer School of Management student
Fostering synergy and collaboration across different disciplines is crucial in today鈥檚 increasingly complex professional landscape. 鈥淓NGCOMM forced me to think outside of the box by considering implications of another discipline not commonly seen through my Faculty鈥檚 academic studies. I have not been a part of another competition where everyone, including faculty, coaches, ENGCOMM volunteers, and my teammates, were so invested in our collective success,鈥 said Derik Thiessen, Telfer School of Management student and member of the Capital Catalysts.
This was a successful experience for the Capital Catalysts, who were selected as one of the final four presentations and took fourth place among the 12 participating institutions from across Canada, the United States, and Europe. Participation in ENGCOMM is a notable milestone for 91精品黑料吃瓜 engineering students and showcases how bringing together diverse skillsets can drive innovation.
The Capital Catalysts not only exemplified the power of interdisciplinary collaboration but also set the stage for future Faculty of Engineering students to take part in case competitions.
The Capital Catalysts
The team came together thanks to the joint efforts and support from the Faculty of Engineering, the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Engineering Design (CEED), and the Telfer School of Management. The Centre for Entrepreneurship and Engineering Design (CEED) aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice to train the next generation of engineers.