Author: Adiki Puplampu
Date: 28 October 2024
Emmanuel Ssempala’s interest in the mechanics of computers began with fixing game controllers with his brother. Now starting his third year as an electrical engineering student at the University of Alberta, Emmanuel has learned that electrical engineering is about much more than fixing computer parts.
During the first two years of his program, Emmanuel was introduced to the vast study of electrical engineering, a field that deals with everything from power systems to advanced telecommunications and clean energy. This summer Emmanuel put his academic knowledge to the test while working in the Faculty of Engineering with Professor Evan Davies conducting research to develop streamflow predictions for a large Alberta reservoir. Data produced from this work is significant in decision making around work downstream and predicting floods and droughts that could impact the surrounding area.
For Emmanuel, this internship experience has been an opportunity to put class-room knowledge into practice on a real-world environmental problem. Being able to translate theoretical knowledge and design a working machine learning model was a highlight for him. “To build a solution, to build a working model that could help solve a real-life problem. That was my best experience,” he says.
The work exposed Emmanuel to the world of machine learning, a new area for him. Going into his internship, he thought of machine learning as the process of telling robots what to do. He quickly learned that it’s much more than that and spent the summer learning about and then applying it to hydrological research. This experience solidified for Emmanuel the importance of continuous learning.
“What I learned in class is just the basis, it’s building a foundation you keep on building.”
As for his future career, Emmanuel sees himself becoming a research and development engineer working on designing, producing, testing, and improving power systems. His experience in the ELITE Program allowed him to broaden his research knowledge, develop professional confidence, and gain experience designing solutions for specific problems. All these skills and more will go a long way to making his career aspirations a reality and supporting his journey of life-long learning.