Alumni Spotlight

Growth begins the moment you choose to get involved in opportunities — by taking initiative and stepping outside your comfort zone.

Meet Noble Tan, who graduated from the School of Computing Science in 2023, is now the Development Manager at Electronic Arts (EA) Sports FC. She credits her time at FAS for fostering hands-on learning that strengthened her confidence in navigating real-world industry environments. The blend of technical depth and people-focused opportunities equipped Noble to think critically, solve complex problems and lead cross-functional teams.

Throughout her university journey, Noble was deeply involved in student leadership. From serving as the first-year representative in the Computing Science Student Society (CSSS) to co-president of Women in Computing Science (WiCS), she worked with diverse teams and learned how to foster alignment and create supportive environments. These voluntary experiences shaped her approach to leadership today — rooted in empathy, consistency and empowering others to succeed. 

One of her proudest milestones was hosting the first-ever StormHacks as the Director of Logistics at SFU Surge. Watching the event grow from an idea into one of Canada’s largest student hackathons reinforced her belief in building spaces where others can execute their talents and strengthened her sense of belonging within the FAS community.

Noble’s five co-op terms also played an equally pivotal role in her achievements today. Exploring roles from software development to project coordination helped her discover the environments where she thrives. It was during her co-op time at EA that she found her passion for cross-functional collaboration and the game development lifecycle, ultimately shaping her long-term career path as a leader.

Looking back on her journey, Noble recognizes the importance of exploration. She advises students not to underestimate their experiences, everything you did such as projects, co-ops, volunteering and leadership, compounds into your future opportunities. These experiences build up your connections and lifelong skills that are essential in your future success.

Meet Don Murray — now the Principal Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Safe Software — who began his academic journey at SFU with a Bachelor’s and later a Master’s degree in the School of Computing Science. Having served at Safe Software for over 30 years, Don reflects on how his time at FAS helped shape the foundation of his career. 

Most of Don’s favourite memories at FAS came from the opportunities to experience different workplaces through the co-op program, where he was able to apply academic knowledge in real-world settings. Working across companies with distinct cultures and technical focuses, Don returned to campus each time invigorated with new skills and insights that further built up his venture path toward Safe Software.

Beyond his co-op experience, Don’s graduate studies were also filled with learning, challenges and a large amount of fun. Under the supervision of Dr. Stella Atkins, Don received valuable guidance and encouragement, giving him the confidence to pursue the research area he was passionate about: exploring the use of transputers in a 3D positron emission tomograph. 

If there’s one message Don hopes to share with our students, he keeps it simple: “Have fun with it!”

He believes that when people enjoy what they do, their work naturally becomes better. “Fun” has become the main theme throughout Don’s academic and professional journey, shaping his success today and in the future. 

Meet Vincent Chu, a proud SFU Computing Science (CS) graduate in 2006 and now the VP of Engineering at Visier Inc. 

Enjoying video games since childhood, Vincent was passionate about the gaming industry, which led him to SFU's CS programs. During his studies, courses especially in computer graphics and linear algebra prepared him with skills in mathematical and logical deduction that are necessary for excelling in his first role as a software engineer in animation.

Looking back on his academic journey, Vincent’s favorite memory at SFU was the 2006 CS Open House, where he created a 3D Tetris game and showcased it to the public. This opportunity also connected Vincent with tech companies, such as Electronic Arts (EA), giving him a glimpse into the gaming industry he would work in the future.

Before joining Visier Inc., Vincent worked in major tech companies such as EA and Apple, where he was able to pick up best practices in software development lifecycle and software design patterns that can be scaled. These hands-on experiences allow Vincent to bring them before venturing into the start-up world.

Beyond his career, Vincent remains an active SFU FAS alumnus. Currently, as a mentor of the FAS mentorship program, and earlier this year, he connected with students as a speaker at the CS monthly Industry Talk Series.

His advice to current students: “Work hard! There’s no shortcut. The amount of learning corresponds to how much effort you put into it.”