Making An Impact: The Reason Tuugu Chose Engineering

June 21, 2023
"I’d like to use my engineering skills to design innovative solutions that can benefit people who can’t afford or don’t have access to needed medical devices."

Tuugu Ulziidelger

Degree: Bachelor of Applied Science

Grad year: 2023

Program: Electrical Engineering

Campus: Okanagan

Option: Biomedical 

[This story was originally posted and written by UBC Engineering: https://engineering.ubc.ca/spotlight/student/making-impact-reason-tuugu-chose-engineering]

Why did you want to study engineering?

Engineering made a lot of sense to me for a bachelor's degree because I knew it would teach me how to think – something I can apply to anything I pursue in life – rather than just teaching me specific facts. 

WHY ENGINEERING

You did the Vantage program in first year. Can you tell us about this?

I applied to the Vantage One program because I wasn’t sure my English language test scores were high enough for general entry. As a Vantage One student, you take all your first-year engineering courses together as a group, along with some extra courses that focus on language instruction. The classes are smaller than those in the standard first-year program and the Academic English courses help you improve your language skills. At the end of first year you go directly into second-year engineering in your program specialization area.

Through Vantage One I also had access to an academic advisor, including regular check-ins. That was very helpful for my transition to UBC and keeping me on top of what I needed to do.

VANTAGE COLLEGE FIRST-YEAR ENGINEERING COURSES  ACADEMIC ADVISING

What were some of the highlights of your undergraduate experience?

I enjoyed all the hands-on design projects. 

In first year my group designed a mini clothes dryer and ours was the only one that worked. In my latest design course I made a heart monitoring device that uses infrared to detect your pulse through your fingertips.

What was it like for you to move from Mongolia to Canada?

I am a very adaptable person so it was just fine. There was a lot of support from UBC, particularly in the first few weeks when you are setting up bank accounts and figuring things out.

What’s next for you after you graduate?

Throughout my undergrad I have been building a career in the hospitality industry and I will continue doing that while I look for work as an engineer.  

What would you like to achieve in your career?

I’d like to make an impact – perhaps either in the field of green energy area or in health care. 

I chose the biomedical option because I have always had an interest in medicine and general health, but I wasn’t interested in doing at least six years of a medical degree after completing a bachelor’s degree. I’d like to use my engineering skills to design innovative solutions that can benefit people who can’t afford or don’t have access to needed medical devices.

Any advice for other students?

Be curious and look for opportunities around you! And consider UBC Okanagan – there are lots of research opportunities for students and it is a very welcoming size.

Tell us about your favourite on-campus experiences!

Favourite class: ENGR 401 - Bioinstrumentation
Favourite coffee shop on campus: Bean Around the World Coffee House & Bistro (UBC Vancouver)
Favourite study spot: Irving K. Barber Learning Centre (UBC Vancouver)
Favourite place on campus to meet up with friends: Gallery Patio & Lounge


  • Student Stories

UBC Crest The official logo of the University of British Columbia. Urgent Message An exclamation mark in a speech bubble. Caret An arrowhead indicating direction. Arrow An arrow indicating direction. Arrow in Circle An arrow indicating direction. Arrow in Circle An arrow indicating direction. Chats Two speech clouds. Facebook The logo for the Facebook social media service. Information The letter 'i' in a circle. Instagram The logo for the Instagram social media service. Linkedin The logo for the LinkedIn social media service. Location Pin A map location pin. Mail An envelope. Menu Three horizontal lines indicating a menu. Minus A minus sign. Telephone An antique telephone. Plus A plus symbol indicating more or the ability to add. Search A magnifying glass. Twitter The logo for the Twitter social media service. Youtube The logo for the YouTube video sharing service.