Convocation ‘23: Terran Jesse, BSc, Petroleum Engineering Co-op
Donna McKinnon - 1 June 2023
Terran Jesse, BSc, Petroleum Engineering Co-op
Surrounded by the oil and gas sector, Terran Jesse follows his curiosity to a career in the industry he loves
Growing up in Edson, a small town in the heart of Alberta, Terran Jesse was curious about the oil and gas sector, an industry deeply embedded in the history and development of his community.
Hearing good things about the University of Alberta, Terran enrolled in the petroleum engineering co-op program with the intent of maximizing his educational experiences.
As a co-op student, Terran had three placements: production engineering intern with ConocoPhillips; field operations student with Storm Resources; and his final placement as an exploitation engineering student with Canadian Natural Resources Ltd.
It wasn’t all academics, however. Terran, who grew up playing hockey, rarely missed a Golden Bears hockey game, a much needed respite from his studies.
For his outstanding work, Terran received the APEGA Past Presidents' Medal in Petroleum Engineering, which is awarded to the graduating student with the highest academic standing in petroleum engineering on the basis of the third and fourth year combined.
Armed with these experiences, along with the skills and enthusiasm he brings to the table, Terran is now happily employed in the energy sector in Alberta — the industry he has always loved.
Congratulations Terran!
What led you to choose your current area of study, and why the U of A for your studies?
I grew up in a small town surrounded by oil and gas assets. This piqued my interest around what the energy industry is all about so I thought why not study petroleum engineering at the University of Alberta? I chose the U of A as they are ranked as one of the top schools for petroleum engineering and I heard great things about the school from other people.
Tell us about your experience in your program.
Overall my experience was very fun and interactive. Speaking specifically to the petroleum program the small class sizes made the program very personable. It was great getting to build connections with the professors and classmates from all years!
What is one of your favourite memories from your time at U of A?
Definitely the sports community is my favourite memory. I rarely missed a Golden Bears hockey game and it gave myself and other students something to look forward to at the end of the week.
Tell us about your favourite professor and/or class.
My favourite professor is Hassan Dehghanpour who taught us PET E 365 and PET E 444. Hassan is very passionate about what he teaches and wants everyone to have fun in his courses. These qualities coupled with very practical real-life engineering problems made Hassan and the courses he taught my favourite throughout my degree.
What advice do you have for current and future students?
Learn from yourself, your friends, your classmates and your profs. Also, don't forget to have fun outside of the classroom, the university has many opportunities to get out with new people.
How do you plan on celebrating convocation?
Likely will have a family dinner and meet up with my classmates/friends while we are all in the same place the weekend before convocation.
What's next after graduation?
After graduation, I have started working full-time in the Upstream Oil and Gas sector. It is one of the most enjoyable industries out there and I'm grateful to be a part of it and the development in years to come!
