Aristarchus Gnanasekar (’21 MSc) graduated from the University of Alberta in 2021 with a Master of Science (M.Sc) in Process Control, a specialized branch of Chemical Engineering.  He currently works as an Automation Specialist in Spartan Controls Ltd., and is an active U School volunteer. 

 

U School is a program run by the U of A Senate to help improve accessibility to the University, offering students from rural or vulnerable communities the chance to visit campus for the week. Volunteers work with students aged 8 - 15, acting as mentors, interviewees for student projects, or even as presenters teaching about a topic. Aristarchus has been able to support the program through classroom activities, taking the students on and around campus, and has even had the opportunity to teach a group of students about topics in Chemical Engineering which he thoroughly enjoyed. 

 

During his research tenure at U of A, he designed biofeedback algorithms for safe, automated hemodialysis treatments for chronic kidney disease patients. His volunteer work originally stemmed from the idea that he may want to go to U of A medical school one day. He had received information about the University volunteering program in his new grad package and decided to try it out, and witnessed life-changing results. Aristarchus really enjoys working with people of all ages, especially kids and teenagers to learn and connect with the community around him. “Working with people balances out my job, which is all machines,” he says.  

 

Community volunteering in different places, starting from U School, has been a huge part of helping this former international student establish Canada as his home. He has learned a lot about living in Canada and made friendships and connections, which have allowed him to meet and network with many new people including U of A Chancellor Peggy Garritty. 

 

Volunteering in person has also helped him gain a new perspective about the University campus. Aristarchus’ time as a student was primarily online due to the pandemic, and volunteering with U School has allowed him to explore and appreciate the entire campus, discovering buildings and pathways he never knew existed, saying that “I never knew there were so many different interesting places on our campus!”. 

 

For those interested in volunteering, Aristarchus emphasizes the importance of community engagement, social connections, and selfless service. While his rigorous academic program left little time for other activities, he is now able to fully appreciate the value of volunteering and encourages others to explore it to discover new interests, and potential career paths and meet wonderful people. Volunteering provides a unique opportunity to try different things and make meaningful connections and suggests starting within the University (Galaxy Digital Volunteer Portal is a great starting place!)