Convocation ‘24: Anushka Khare, BSc Computer Engineering Co-op

Anushka Khare, BSc Computer Engineering Co-op

“I continue to do everything I can to be a part of the solution and create an environment for everyone to succeed today and in the future.”

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As the child of engineers, Anushka was both familiar with the field and curious to know more, and like her parents, she wanted to make a positive impact in the community through her work. Computer engineering was a perfect fit.    

It didn’t stop there. On and off campus, Anushka took on a variety of volunteer roles, including VP academic for the Engineering Students’ Society, VP external for the Computer Engineering Club, co-president of the STEM Fellowship, VP advocacy with the Alzheimer's Student Associationand participated with the Engineering Career Connections. She also participated in GEER Week.

Previous to this, as a high school student, Anushka was the beneficiary of the University of Alberta initiatives Fem+ Engineering Mentorship Program and WISEST (Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science, and Technology), gaining invaluable experience and inspiring her to pursue engineering as a career.  

“I received strong mentorship and guidance from female mentors and upper-year students at the university,” she says. “These experiences made me excited to become a part of an enriching, diverse and supportive engineering community.”

Among her awards, in 2022, Anushka received the William Muir Edwards Citizenship Award which recognizes Faculty of Engineering undergraduate students who have made exceptional contributions to society, and also the Ivan Finlay Leadership Award from Apega in recognition of her leadership and citizenship. 

“Receiving these awards, I was fueled with even more motivation and dedication to give back to the community and drive forth actionable change,” she says. “I continue to do everything I can to be a part of the solution and create an environment for everyone to succeed today and in the future.”

With five co-op terms under her belt working in cyber security with Trans Mountain, BlackBerry (two terms), Iron Spear Information Security Ltd. and Microsoft, Anushka is more than career-ready, and will be heading to Seattle after graduation to begin her new role at Microsoft as a security program manager on the Enterprise Security Team.

Congratulations Anushka!

What program are you graduating from?

Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering Co-op.

What led you to choose your current area of study, and why the U of A for your studies?

I was always motivated to become an engineer because I saw, at a young age, my parents making a positive impact on the community as professional engineers. As I grew up, I became fascinated with engineering different structures and buildings through my architectural design class. Through my studies, I continued to develop a hunger for learning ‘how things work’ and became certain that engineering was the path for me.

I chose to pursue engineering at the University of Alberta because it is consistently one of the highest-ranked universities for engineering. In high school, I participated in various initiatives such as the Fem+ Engineering Mentorship Program and WISEST (Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science, and Technology) to grow more familiar with the engineering community at the U of A. I received strong mentorship and guidance from female mentors and upper-year students at the university. These experiences made me excited to become a part of an enriching, diverse and supportive engineering community.

What is one of your favourite memories from your time at the U of A?

One of my favorite memories is participating in GEER Week which is an annual week-long celebration of the culture engineering students have developed as a faculty over the last hundred years. I was able to immerse myself in and celebrate the engineering culture with my friends and peers, especially through events like Who’s Smarter than a First Year and the Banquet. 

Tell us about your favourite professor and/or class.

My favorite class was ECE 492, the capstone design class for computer engineers taught by Steven Knudsen. He was one of the most relatable professors; he always ensured that he taught in a way that would directly relate to industry experience. He ensured that we were industry-ready throughout our capstone whether that was the way we presented our work or the way we interacted with clients. 

Did you take on any leadership roles while you were a student? 

Since the first year, I have served as the co-president of the STEM Fellowship, which focuses on bringing research opportunities and resources to undergraduate and high school students. Our major initiatives have given students exposure to hands-on research opportunities by pairing them with graduate mentors in various fields. These programs and events served over 90 students under my leadership.

Following my grandmother’s diagnosis, I served as VP advocacy with the Alzheimer's Student Association. From my personal experience and volunteer work, I understood how this disease affects both the patient and their families. While serving in this role, I advocated for increased awareness of Alzheimer's at events and raised funds for the Alzheimer’s Society. 

I am focused on contributing to a sustainable society through innovation in technology and economic empowerment. This led to the co-founding Eevee, a startup focused on promoting sustainability by facilitating a sharing economy. The peer-to-peer rental space platform used data modeling to enable individuals needing income to turn idle items into earnings. About 80 per cent of the revenue went to the listing’s owner, economically empowering individuals with minimal effort required from them. This app built community and bridged the gap between sustainability and economic empowerment that rarely happens in harmony. 

It was an incredible honor to have received the 2022 William Muir Edwards Award from the U of A and the Ivan Finlay Leadership Award from Apega in recognition of my leadership and citizenship. These prestigious awards acknowledge individuals who demonstrate exceptional dedication to making a positive impact in their communities through leadership and social responsibility. Upon receiving these awards, I was fueled with even more motivation and dedication to give back to the community and drive forth actionable change. I continued to do everything I could to be a part of the solution and create an environment for everyone to succeed today and in the future.

Last year I served as the VP academic for the Engineering Students’ Society. I was a strong advocate for improving the mental health and academic concerns of all undergraduate students in the engineering community. While engineering students are high achievers, they also face high levels of stress, anxiety and depression which can lead to imposter syndrome. I worked with members of the faculty to organize events called Mental Health Mondays where students could actively set goals to improve their mental health. Also, I had the pleasure of leading a team of 14 enthusiastic directors and coordinators in advocating for the academic needs of over 4,700 undergraduate students through impactful programs and initiatives. I oversaw the implementation of the new Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program, aimed at providing students an opportunity to develop their entrepreneurial skills through a series of interactive workshops in collaboration with the League of Innovators. We ran several mental health workshops tackling stress and burnout, and hosted interactive events such as tie-dye night, fitness challenges, study buddies and mentorship activities to connect first-year students with resources and guidance. Finally, we hosted a project management workshop in collaboration with CoRoc Solutions to equip students with the project management acumen necessary in all industries.

In my 4th year as the VP external for the Computer Engineering Club (CompE), I played a role in addressing a gap in resources between the Co-op office and computer engineering job requirements. This involved contributing to the design and creation of CompE+, which provided junior-year students with volunteer-run mentoring and resources such as resume reviews, mock technical interviews and tips to improve cover letters. To date, this platform has supported over 100 CompE students in improving their applications and being better prepared for interviews. 

My commitment to supporting my peers went beyond this one initiative. I have also worked to increase professional development opportunities for students and address the underrepresentation of computer engineering undergrads at important opportunities like career fairs. When I realized that computer engineering students did not have the same opportunities as other disciplines, I knew that I had to take action. My team and I organized a tech-specific career fair, ensuring that CompE students had equal access to opportunities as students in other engineering disciplines. Through this event, we were able to connect over 1,000 students from the U of A and NAIT in both computer engineering and computer science with some of the leading tech companies in the region. 

This year as VP Internal for CompE, I spearheaded EDI initiatives with the launch of a series of professional development workshops and panel discussion events for minorities in tech. I collaborated with Engineering Career Connections to create resources for resumes, interviews and technical skills to ensure that junior year students would have tools to help them land their dream job. Moreover, as VP Internal, I've been involved in various initiatives aimed at enriching the educational experience of my peers, including providing valuable resources such as networking opportunities, mock technical interviews, and videos for tech specific resume tips benefitting all undergrad computer engineering students. These endeavors collectively reflect my dedication to leveraging technology for positive societal impact and enhancing educational opportunities for my peers within the computer engineering community.

Did you face any significant obstacles or challenges during your program?

I faced some challenges and obstacles during my degree whether that was exam or assignment related, or struggling to land the dream internships. However, I used these hurdles as learning experiences. I recognized the need for effective time management and developed a realistic schedule that allowed me to allocate sufficient time for each course, as well as job hunting.

In my first year, I realized that things may not work out according to the plan and it is important to be flexible. I came to engineering hoping to become a mechanical engineer but after the first semester of first year, I realized I had a passion for computer engineering. 

While looking for an internship after my second year in computer engineering, I realized how challenging it was to get an internship without a strong background in coding. Several peers had begun coding in highschool and had already developed an impressive resume and I was just getting started. Despite the setback, I persevered and was determined to improve my skills by pursuing side projects and participating in hackathons. After securing first place in a cybersecurity competition sponsored by Google, I landed my first internship in cybersecurity. 

Through this experience, I recognized the importance of understanding the problem, setting realistic goals, staying focused and putting in consistent efforts to achieve my goals.  

Throughout my degree, I learned the importance of perseverance, resilience, time management, and goal setting. These experiences have truly shaped the engineer I am and will continue to be. 

What advice do you have for current and future students?

Be persistent! Engineering is challenging for everyone but remember why you chose to embark on this journey. No matter how difficult, it will be worth every early morning and late night. Be determined enough to show up every day and learn every day. Nothing can beat consistent efforts whether that is towards building connections in industry, pursuing side projects or trying to get an A in a difficult class.

How do you plan on celebrating convocation?

I will be celebrating my convocation with my friends and family! I will take some time off with them and travel to Cancun, Mexico to enjoy the tropical weather. I am also headed across the globe to Sydney, Australia to enjoy its culture and beaches. 

What's next after graduation?

After graduation, I will be headed to Seattle to pursue my new role at Microsoft as a Security Program Manager on the Enterprise Security Team.