David Rousso
2018 Undergraduate Scholarship
Fifth year student at University of Waterloo, specializing in Nanotechnology Engineering

David Rousso’s interest in engineering was sparked by a curiosity about building and contributing something tangible to the world. Certain courses in high school gave him positive experiences that further encouraged him to pursue a future in engineering. During his time at uWaterloo, he has been involved with many extra-curricular activities ranging from Engineering Society to badminton club, to serving as the Technical Director on a design team.

Upon hearing he had received the Undergraduate Scholarship, awarded for exhibiting exceptional role model qualities through participation in non-academic activities while maintaining high grades, Rousso was excited for several reasons. The financial assistance associated with the award helped him pay for his flight back from exchange.

Furthermore, he appreciated the recognition for his efforts.
While Rousso considers the possibilities for the future to be endless, he first plans to pursue a post-graduate education. He currently works as a particle physics trainee at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland, assisting with simulations and setup building for antimatter gravity experiments.

As he looks to the future, Rousso leaves behind a couple pieces of advice for students beginning a program in engineering. Firstly, he believes students should “know when to take care of themselves and put their health above their education, even if the pressures around are pushing them in that direction.” Secondly, he urges students to “be humble; success will be easier if you acknowledge your weaknesses and accept help from others.”