Alumni Spotlight

From spending time with classmates solving math and physics problems to co-founding a start-up tackling global energy challenges, Sumreen Rattan’s journey is deeply rooted in valuable connections, leadership and teamwork experiences. 

Sumreen describes the engineering program as the way to shape her professional path. She emphasizes the value of learning alongside like-minded, driven individuals in a collaborative environment. Working closely with her cohort taught her how to lean on one another for support, combine diverse skills to tackle complex problems and celebrate shared success.

Beyond academics, student clubs played a central role in Sumreen’s university life. By starting and leading clubs such as Team Phantom and SFU Befikre, she transformed her passion into action while developing leadership, communication and community-building skills.

Through co-op placements at companies including Apple, Archiact and PNI Digital Media, Sumreen gained valuable industry experience and insights into professional environments. These roles served as important training grounds, teaching her how to adapt quickly, build effective working relationship and collaborate with new teams.

At the core of Sumreen’s journey is her belief that engineering exists to design and build technology that improves the world. Drawing on her experiences at university, she co-founded Moment Energy, a company dedicated to providing affordable, reliable, clean energy by repurposing retired electric vehicle batteries.

Recognized as a Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2023, Sumreen hopes her work can serve as an example that age, gender and ethnicity should never define one’s potential. She believes meaningful change begins with taking the first step and sustaining that vision with grit and perseverance.

Her message to students and aspiring entrepreneurs is simple yet powerful: “Being naive is a superpower, because a beginner’s mind isn’t roadblocked by preconceived notions of difficulty.”

For Sumreen, the act of doing is the only way to uncover new knowledge, challenges and opportunities — letting the work itself guide the journey, even when it gets tough.

Graduated with a Master of Engineering in Smart Manufacturing and Systems from the School of Mechatronic Systems Engineering in 2023, Sanjam Chhabra is now an Automation Designer at QCA Systems. 

For Sanjam, pursuing the MEng program was a transformative experience that interconnected theory and real-world application. Through hands-on projects, such as designing automation workflows and implementing advanced manufacturing solutions, she explored the technologies and equipped herself with practical skills essential in the field of automation.   

A key highlight in Sanjam’s academic journey was the co-op program, where she gained invaluable industry experience applying smart manufacturing principles to live projects. The transition from classroom environments to real-world settings also strengthened Sanjam’s ability to adapt to new dynamics, collaborate with colleagues and time management skills. 

Now in her role as the automation designer, Sanjam continues to apply what she learnt from the MEng program — areas in predictive maintenance, IoT-enabled devices and AI-driven decision-making that are at the forefront of technological advancements.

During 2025 Mechatronics Day, she represented QCA Systems at the event, reconnecting with the university as an alumnus, and having meaningful discussions with students and peers about the current automation industry.

Looking back, Sanjam reflects on how the program laid a solid foundation for her future career. Building up her confidence and practical experience, the academic journey shaped and inspired her to drive meaningful impact and innovation in the industry.