Our vision for the Mechatronics Club and community: 

Through our campaign and potential candidacy, we hope to lay the foundation for an engineering discipline rich with tradition and culture. Our new discipline is full of trailblazers and innovators, and we believe that our club should support the growth of its students through community-building events, opportunity-building initiatives, and efforts that establish lasting tradition and history. Our main focus is establishing tradition and culture within the discipline, and positioning ourselves as a vibrant part of the UAlberta Engineering community while supporting all Mechatronics students. Ensuring the success of our discipline club from its inception will shape the narrative of what is to come. We are very excited to embark on the rest of our engineering journey with the Mechatronics community, and being elected Co-Presidents of the Mechatronics Club will allow us to make our dreams a reality. 

Who we are: 

Bayan Shayeb (She/Her) is a 2nd-year Mechatronics student who is incredibly eager to be involved in the inception of the Mechatronics Discipline Club. She is heavily involved in her community and on campus, balancing both technical and non-technical involvements. She has been involved with AlbertaSat since high school, and is also the co-founder of an international non-profit dedicated to combating period poverty. She hopes to use her wide range of experiences to establish a Mechatronics club that fosters community, is welcoming to all students, and leaves a lasting legacy for future classes! 

Micah Sellers (He/Him) is a 2nd-year Mechatronics student, with big ideas about the future of our new club and community. He loves bouldering (say hi at the VVC climbing gym!), playing guitar, and everything related to space. His leadership experience began with managing his yearbook team as President, gaining valuable team skills. Now, he is working towards the launch of the Ex-Alta 3 satellite with AlbertaSat. His biggest goal if elected President is to rapidly build a club that can be a centre of support and community, tangibly serving Mechatronics students in every possible way. 

Main Ideas 

1. Building a Strong Mechatronics Community 

As a relatively new discipline, Mechatronics at UAlberta has yet to develop a sense of community that established disciplines have had years to cultivate. We believe it is important to prioritize nurturing the Mechatronics community for the overall betterment of student life and to

ensure the success of our discipline. The establishment of a culture unique to Mechatronics, rich with tradition and vision, is vital to strengthening the Mechatronics identity. a. Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Decolonization (EDID): Promote EDID in all Mechatronics club policies and events. 

b. Events: Organize fun, accessible events to promote intra-discipline bonding.

c. GEER Week: Establish GEER Week traditions, unique to Mechatronics, promoting the participation of all club members. 

d. Transparency: Engage in transparency regarding all our practices to foster an open rapport between elected members and students. 

2. Establishing External Partnerships 

As we are the first torchbearers of this discipline, it is our duty to establish strong, nuanced, and long-lasting relationships with industry members, on-campus student groups, and the wider engineering community. We believe it is vital to spark these connections with honesty and integrity to ensure the long-term success of our discipline. 

a. Industry Connections: Being mindful and transparent about the connections we build. 

b. Event Sponsors: Reach out to technical and non-technical organizations for sponsorship opportunities. 

c. Student Organizations: Establish and maintain a friendly relationship with  UAWiSE, ISSA, ESS, and other relevant student organizations. 

3. Academic Support and Advocacy 

Setting a precedent for strong academic support within the Mechatronics community is crucial to ensure the success of current students, as well as to ensure that future Mechatronics students can access the academic help they need. 

a. Study Group: Introducing regular drop-in hours for Mechatronics students to study and collaborate. 

b. Resource Bank: Establishing a resource bank and working with professors to source practice questions and exams. 

c. Student Advocacy: Representing the Mechatronics student body in providing feedback on the program and improving it for current and future students. 

President and Vice President Portfolios 

President 

- Organization and Leadership 

- Providing direction for the club, ensuring goals and deliverables are met promptly. 

- Assisting VPs with their portfolios and managing problems that may arise. - Practicing bottom-up leadership and ensuring decisions are driven by Mechatronics student voices.

- Chairing weekly executive meetings, as well as organizing Fall and Winter General Meetings. 

- Promoting team bonding and effective communication. 

- Advocacy 

- Advocating for resources and opportunities for the Mechatronics student body - Providing feedback to the Mechatronics department regarding the quality of education 

- Board of Directors 

- Representing the Mechatronics Discipline Club at the monthly ESS Board of Directors meetings 

- Raising concerns held by the Mechatronics student body to the ESS Board of Directors 

Academics and Services 

- Exam Review Sessions 

- Working with faculty to organize collaborative review sessions during final and midterm exam seasons. 

- Reviewing important concepts and presenting worked examples. 

- Resource Bank 

- Starting a resource bank for exams, practice problems, and other useful academic materials, working with professors and other faculty members to procure these items. 

- Group Study Times 

- Creating regular group study times for Mechatronics students. 

- Academic Advocacy 

- Representing Mechatronics students to the faculty of Engineering for the advancement of our interests. 

- Taking feedback from Mechatronics students and working to improve the program based on that input. 

- For example: improved exam schedules, increasing funding for the discipline. Communications 

- Socials and Advertising 

- Creating a cohesive theme for Instagram and other platforms, and using social media to keep members updated on club events and initiatives. 

- Website 

- Designing and publishing a website for the club as soon as possible, prioritizing aesthetics and functionality. 

- Mechatronics Club Branding 

- Working with club members to establish a recognizable and consistent Mechatronics brand (logo, mascot, colour scheme) to serve as the foundation for the future of the Mechatronics image.

- Newsletter 

- Establishing a monthly Mechatronics newsletter, with updates on the club, upcoming events, opportunities, and spotlights on outstanding students, with transparency and community building in mind. 

External Relations 

- Industry Events 

- Setting up industry mixer events throughout the year for students to network with engineering professionals and employers. 

- Sponsorships 

- Reaching out for sponsorships from engineering and non-technical companies. - Setting up sponsor packages that can be accessed through the website. - Student groups 

- Developing connections with existing project groups and clubs, as well as supporting new groups started by Mechatronics students. 

Internal Affairs 

- Club Room and Facilities 

- Advocating for a well-sized club room and prioritizing the creation of a welcoming, warm student space. 

- Setting up a Mechatronics book borrowing shelf, merchandise and supplies store. - Hosting drop-in hours for students to help decorate the club room. 

- Director and Coordinator Positions 

- Designating director and coordinator positions to help with the organization of the club room, merchandise & snack stores, newsletter, and other new initiatives. - Providing equal opportunity for all Mechatronics students to apply to assist the VPs as directors or coordinators. 

Operations and Finance 

- Finance Management & Transparency 

- Establishing a Mechatronics Club bank account, with monthly reports of all spending and revenues to be included in the newsletter. 

- Maintaining full transparency with Mechatronics students on financial decisions. - Mechatronics Store 

- Establishing a food/snack store at the club room (similar to other disciplines), where students can buy items like candy, ramen, or energy drinks for a low price. - Fundraising 

- Raising funds for club activities through merch and snack store sales. Ticketed events will also allow the club to operate until faculty funding is finalized. Student Life 

- Community Building 

- Investing in initiatives to promote student intermingling and connection building.

- Emphasis on providing inclusive spaces for marginalized groups to integrate inclusivity into the program. 

- Events

- Organizing a wide range of events, including bar nights (Geers and Beers), pool tournaments, paint and craft nights, film viewings, study trivia nights (Dewey’s Takeover), Women in MCTR end-of-year dinner, Engineering Gala, MCTR challenge nights (coding and design challenges), inter-discipline events, etc. - GEER Week 

- Ensuring the Mechatronics Discipline Club has a strong and memorable presence in its first-ever GEER Week. 

- Working with the VP Student Life and other discipline clubs to organize unforgettable events and continue previous successful events. 

- Supporting and encouraging Mechatronics student participation, and advocating for Mechatronics students where needed. 

- Establishing lasting traditions and showcasing our growing community.