Jay Deshmukh

When Jay Deshmukh arrived at Cape Breton University he had 3 goals in mind: gain knowledge, acquire experience and make contacts in the field of Chemical Engineering. Now, as graduation nears, Jay is happy to say his checklist is complete.
Jay is from Nagpur, Maharashtra, the geographical centre of India with a population of approximately 2.5 million. After graduating from high school, Jay was drawn to CBU by the Engineering program and research opportunities which he felt would allow him to make real change in the world. Jay enrolled in the Bachelor of Engineering Transfer program, focusing on the field of Chemistry.

“When I see the world today, I know that sustainability, our dependency on conventional energy sources, climate change and space exploration are some of the issues which need our attention now more than ever,” says Jay. “I think I can make an impact and contribute to the cause in years to come, which is why I was motivated to enter the field of Engineering.”

For Jay, coming to CBU also meant coming to Canada for the first time, something that he was eager to do. “I came as close as Niagara Falls a few years back and saw the Canadian skyline from the American side. I knew I wanted to go there,” says Jay. He says the people in Cape Breton have been warm and approachable, and that spending time with his professors and colleagues has been the highlight of his time here at CBU.
“The small class sizes in the engineering program means that every student has hands on experience and access to everything the engineering department has to offer. The professors know students by name, which is not something you’ll find at every university,” says Jay. He will always remember Associate Professor of Chemistry, Martin Mkandawire’s wise words and advice, Professor of Engineering, Edwin MacLellan’s stories from all over the world and Instructor of Public Health and Microbiology, Paul MacDougall’s jokes in environmental engineering class. Jay says he is so thankful to his professors for making his experience at CBU so enjoyable.
Currently, Jay is working with Dr. Mkandawire’s research team on developing smart wound healing technology before heading to Dalhousie to complete the rest of the Bachelor of Engineering Transfer program. He is confident that his time at CBU has prepared him for this next step in his educational journey. “CBU has taught me how to analyze any given problem, breaking it down until every single component is solved,” says Jay, “I found my purpose here at CBU.”
When asked if he would recommend CBU to prospective students, Jay was absolutely sure.“If you’re determined enough to work hard toward your goals, CBU has your back.”