It’s that time of the year for huge celebrations and feeling a sense of pride and growth. UBC Emerging Media Lab is so excited to congratulate Reva Nambiar, Mohsen Movahedi, and Michelle Huynh, our student members graduating this year! We asked them about their time at EML and advice for those looking into joining the emerging media space. Favourite EML Highlight Michelle: “It is hard to choose a favourite moment in particular, but I think the showcases demos is definitely the most rewarding part. You get to show what you and your team has accomplished during the span of 4 months and see what other teams have done in the same time period as you.” Mohsen: “Last year, when UBC classes were back in-person, EML decided to have the first big monthly drop-ins on the main floor of IKBLC. We set-up all the fun demos with the big TVs and while we didn’t expect a large turnout, we were surprised by the number of visitors that came and tried the equipment, some of which became volunteers at EML. It was a great day and we were all very happy and excited to show our work to all the students! And of course, there was pizza after 😀 “ Reva: “The weekly check-ins are probably one of my favourite things about my time at EML. I get to hear project updates, roses and thorns, tech and media recommendations and in general, get to collaborate with EML members outside of my project team. It is super cool to hear what everyone is up to!” How Has EML Contributed to Your Professional and Career growth? Reva: “As a UI/UX designer, everything I have learnt at EML has helped me practice and improve my design skills. From user research, testing and agile methodologies to Figma, Blender and Unity, I hope to be making use of all these skills in my future career.” Mohsen: “Being at EML for almost 2 years, I have learned a lot in this space. EML was my first ever internship as a developer during my college years, and so I started with a very loose set of professional skills. However, with the help of the staff and the mentors, I was able to learn both technical and soft skills. I learned how to work with game engines and also how to use a lot different cutting edge equipment that I did not have access to. I think one of the best skills I learn at EML was project management and how work in a team. These skills are very applicable to any job, no matter the industry.” Michelle: “One of the benefits of joining EML is getting to learn and try problem solving in a fail friendly environment. Sometimes I find that the expectations on what we want to do is unrealistic or harder than I thought. Maybe there is a better or more efficient way to get something done. From this I get a better understanding of the capabilities of different emerging medias. I think getting the chance to experiment and being able to describe these struggles to a potential recruiter can be just as valuable as showing a successful project. In terms of skills, I think communication is often overlooked. Almost half of the job is convincing others that what you have accomplished, plan to accomplish in the period after and why you chose this method. After graduation, I think showing that I can communicate and integrate with the team easily due to the good habits I learned is something any workplace will value in an always changing industry.” Would You recommend EML for Building a Portfolio? Mohsen: “Of course! EML is a great jumping pad for students who want to work but are also ready to learn! It is also known within the tech and education communities. The broad range of different projects that EML has, makes it so that you learn so many different valuable skills that are applicable to the industry in a variety of niches.” Reva: “A 100%! Working at EML has been great at giving me hands-on experience in working on projects from start to finish.” Michelle: “I would definitely recommend joining EML. The project concepts are fresh and are always designed for meaningful impact on the community in some form or another. They are also goal oriented and depending on the project can produce numerical results that recruiters will typically look for. “ What Advice Do You Have For Students Considering EML? Reva: “Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Everyone over here is super smart and friendly, they would love to help you out with any problem, no matter how small.” Mohsen: “If you are curious about something related to anything that EML work in, just ask! Chances are that you will be provided with the resources, references and equipment that you need to try out whatever it is that you want to dabble in! EML is always open to trying new things!” Michelle: “Join EML! We are friendly and have good vibes 😊. (Definitely not a recruitment message). For aspiring developers and designers, joining any development team/club on UBC can help you achieve the experience and teamwork aspect you will need if going in the tech industry is your end goal. However, if you are like me and just wanted to know more before committing to a single thing, I think simply attending the events and talking to the students will give you more insight in what you want to do.” If you’re interested in getting involved with EML, check out our student opportunities here, come to our drop-in hours, or send an email to emergingmedia.lab@ubc.ca
