Laurence Liang

Laurence is a mechanical engineering student who joined the Cansbridge Fellowship’s 2022 cohort. As a self-taught programmer, Laurence strived to find meaningful ways to use coding to solve real-life challenges. Over the years, Laurence developed a passion for computational biology: through science fair he wrote software to identify and propose molecular solutions, ranging from neuron regeneration genes, to an miRNA-based approach against COVID-19 infection. In addition to pursuing projects in bioinformatics, Laurence is also excited about the future of intelligent machines, robotic automation, medical care in developing communities, and space exploration. (Photo credit: Marianopolis Photography Club)

Shlesha Van

Shlesha is a 4th year Mechanical Engineering student. She is founder and CEO of Ora-3D, an early-stage venture aiming to provide a smart and automated solution for effortless dental care by redesigning the decades old model of a toothbrush and automating it to intelligently provide a smart brushing experience. Shlesha leads with a mindset of making things possible. She is empowered by strategic decisions, creative thinking and impact through technology. She makes logical decisions through empathy and tends to organize thoughts through dots and patterns. She loves people who are passionate and take action through vision.

Tinetendo Makata

Tinetendo is in 3rd year Chemical Engineering student with a minor in Software. She has a passion and eye for the visual arts (award winner), as well as deep interests in agriculture. She even has a 5-acre plot of farm land in Zimbabwe where she immigrated from two years ago, and plans to grow high value herbs and fruits such as moringa and mango one day. Her long term plan is to social enterprises of stimulating the local economies and wider pan-Africa trade, as well building a library for the local populace in a remote area.

Adam Melnyk

Adam is a visual problem solver, food design enthusiast, and bioengineer-in-training. He helped establish McGill’s Bioengineering Undergraduate Student Society (BUSS) and served as its first VP of Communications where he designed the visual identity for BUSS. Outside of school, he continues to pursue new creative outlets and has spent three summers working internationally with a Toronto-based food design studio exploring the latest trends in experiential design and emerging food futures. More recently, he has expanded his creative pursuits into the field of biotechnology as a co-founder of Montreal-based biodevices startup, LFAnt Medical, which placed third in the Health Sciences Track of the 2019 McGill Dobson Cup. As a Cansbridge Fellow, Adam is looking forward to exploring how his interests manifest themselves in other parts of the world and pursuing new opportunities to create alongside the Cansbridge family.

David Lin

David is a serial entrepreneur with over 5 years of experience in entrepreneurship as both sole Founder and Co-founder in 3 previous startups within the fitness, education, and tourism industries, having started at the age of 17.

He is the CEO & Co-founder of Lunavoy Inc. a Canada based software technology company primarily focused on artificial intelligence, eCommerce, and social network. The company is disrupting the tourism space with its artificial intelligence powered online marketplace that connects SME providers of tourist experiences / activities with travelers and travelers among themselves.

A passionate world backpacker, MMA athlete, and podcast host – Joys of Solo Travel unveils the wonders of amazing experiences while travelling solo through captivating podcast content and unique digital travel guides. Brings out the incredible raw emotions of living in the moment, freedom and happiness while diving deep into the do's and don'ts during solo travel.

Kaye Wong

Kaye is pursuing her degree in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Environmental Engineering. Prior to McGill, she co-founded an award-winning charity raising funds against visual impairment in developing countries. She began co-chairing the committee on Sustainability in Engineering at McGill (SEAM) in 2019, and directed a successful research scholarship project on a novel phosphate recovery method from urban municipal wastewater treatment systems. Fascinated by social entrepreneurship, she is eager to develop her platform to tackle issues including accessibility and circularising our economy. Her favourite places include the cinema, the dance studio, anywhere by the water, and inside her hammock.

Katherine Sirois

Katherine is a 3rd year Computer Engineering student with a minor in Technological Entrepreneurship . As part of the 2019 cohort she has spent her summer in Shenzhen, China where she worked at Lumencache as an engineering intern . Her role was to concieve a test jig as a final quality assurance before sending the particular part to the client . Prior to China, Katherine founded a technology discovery camp to create a spark for electronics and programming for young students aged 12-15 . After a first successful year at McGill and ULaval, the camp has spread across the province for its second edition . As a life-long learner, Katherine wants to use technology and electronics to better the society around her.

Nayem Alam

Nayem is an Electrical Engineering student with a minor in Software Engineering who was part of the 2019 cohort. With a strong sense for innovation, Nayem looks for ways he can turn his ideas into reality. At the age of 17, Nayem founded Montreal’s unique slam poetry competition, Speak Up Montreal, whose primary focus is to provide an outlet for youth to express themselves freely and without judgement. Over the years Nayem has been noted as one of Canada’s Top 20 Under 20, Governor General’s Award recipient, 2x TEDx speaker and WeDay speaker. With a passion for web development and entrepreneurship, Nayem turned one of his side hustles into a business running his own web design agency. On campus, Nayem is actively involved as he works closely with the Engine team to curate the McGill Design Consultancy. In the future, Nayem aspires to build a unique startup that will leave an impact on the world.

Ponhneath Nguon

Ponhneath is a future chemical engineer who is passionate about entrepreneurship, Neath aspires to become one of the key players in the Asia tech industry. At McGill University, she is involved with organizations such as the Chemical Engineering Student Society and Engineering Investment Group. Additionally, with her dedication to serve underdeveloped communities, she hopes to continue to deliver lasting impacts in the future, especially back home in Cambodia. Neath is set to graduate in 2020, and she looks forward to pursue a fulfilling career where her passion for tech would intersect with her entrepreneurial spirits and passion for change.

Pentcho Tchomakov

Pentcho is a Software Engineering student at McGill University with a centration in AI and Machine Learning. I have a deep passion for financial markets, international geopolitics and Russian literature. I'm also invested in my student society, currently in the role of Chairman of the Board. I have a high work ethic which comes from my full dedication to the projects I invest myself in.

Michael Steele

Michael holds British, Canadian, and American citizenship and has spent the majority of my life living in New York City. Over the past few years Michael has been working (both part time and full-time over summers for Confidential Global Investigations, a New York law firm specializing in receiverships and forensic accounting. Most of the clients he worked with were investment banks from the New York area who had invested large sums of capital into Chinese companies who began trading publicly via reverse mergers. Michael worked as a research analyst for Confidential Global Investigations, spending my time collecting as information to help locate some of these companies that had gone dark. Meanwhile, he worked on an event-based photo sharing platform, named Reel. Reel is built to allow event hosts to provide their guests with a medium to exchange photos taken on digital devices at the event. Michael is continuing to work on gaining funding as the app is still in development.

John Wu

John is a U3 Computer Engineering student who was part Cansbridge Fellowship 2017 cohort. For his Asia summer internship, he worked at a virtual shoe fitting startup in Japan as a software engineer. During his time there, he worked on a computer vision algorithm that integrates into a 3D scanning mobile application. Prior to Japan, John has previously interned as a software developer at Mxi Technologies and will be interning at Microsoft this upcoming summer as a program manager. On campus, John is actively involved as an exec on the McGill Artificial Intelligence Society and if not organizing an event, he can be found working on side projects or attending hackathons. In the future, he hopes to turn one of his side projects into a business of his own, but until that happens, his priority is to continue developing his knowledge in the software industry and broadening his network through meaningful connections.

Priya Raina

Today’s engineers need to be business people. They need to be marketers, designers and most importantly, they need to effectively communicate their ideas - which I admit, isn't what engineers have been known for. Long gone are the days when engineering was confined to the cubicle. My goal is to redefine what it means to be a modern engineer - someone who walks the line between the technical and business worlds. That is why I am pursuing a degree in Chemical Engineering in addition to a Minor in Management. My engineering studies provide a solid foundation in problem solving and critical thinking, while my minor compliments my passions for marketing, branding and strategy.
Let’s redefine engineering.

Zachery Oman

Innovation Strategist
Connected Inc.