Muskaan Opel chose to specialize in Chemical and Bioengineering, knowing that she didn’t want to limit herself to one discipline. The McMaster student also strategically applied this approach to her co-op experiences, for which she pursued opportunities that took her out of her comfort zone and into new, exciting territory.
A standout co-op term for Muskaan was spent in Seattle, Washington, where she worked as a Software Engineering Intern at Microsoft. “I took a chance, and the experience was beyond rewarding,” she says. “Software Engineering isn’t what I was learning in my classes, but I wanted my Mac Eng journey to be one of interdisciplinary study.”
At Microsoft and across the country, Muskaan found herself immersed in a dynamic environment both inside and outside the office. “While my engineering education and experiences were how I acquired the opportunity, my time at Microsoft was so much more than coding,” she says. She attended tech conferences, the Game Showcase, and felt immersed in Seattle’s thriving tech hub, home to many FAANG (Facebook/Meta, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Google/Alphabet) companies.
“Embracing opportunities and experiences to be a more well-rounded person will ultimately make me a better engineer.”
With her Microsoft team, she collaborated with talented engineers and designed an internal Xbox tool, which had her developing skills in technology, design and user experience.
Off the clock, Muskaan reached new heights in other ways. She hiked Mount Rainier, which she describes as no easy feat, and threw in a bit of skydiving and wakeboarding with her intern peers from Microsoft. Yet, she says one of her most memorable experiences in Seattle was visiting the Halo Exhibit in the Museum of Pop Culture. Halo – the highly popular Xbox game turned TV show – is rich with character lore, and Muskaan got to delve into each stage of the game’s development in the exhibit.
As she prepares to enter her final year this September, one might think Muskaan would be eager to explore more in the tech industry. However, like much of her Mac Eng journey, she is looking to what else she can do with her skills.
“My sights are set on medical school. I want to eventually blend my engineering, technology and medical knowledge to innovations in the healthcare sector,” she explains. “Engineering is about applying learned problem-solving skills across disciplines. Embracing opportunities and experiences to be a more well-rounded person will ultimately make me a better engineer.”
Learn more about co-op, career and experiences at McMaster Engineering and the Chemical and Bioengineering program.
