Meet Chris Fiorentino
Chris Fiorentino, Sc’11, found his passion in ECE at Queen’s, even though he started off at a different university studying nuclear engineering before realizing it wasn’t the right place or program for him. His move to ECE has worked out so well, that after graduating in the spring of 2011, he decided to stay on for a graduate degree.
As an undergraduate, he had summer work in ECE, working in a lab, in a undergraduate research position. “I really love this department,” he says, “I made an effort to get out to events and I got to know the people, the professors, and my fellow students.”
Chris was initially apprehensive though, about changing universities and changing engineering disciplines, because he was not sure if ECE would suit his interests. Fortunately his choice worked out brilliantly. “It is one the best decisions I have ever made and I could not have been happier. The field of electrical engineering is so broad; I have more decisions to make in the future of where I want my career to go. I have always been fascinated with electrical engineering but did not even know it. From cell phones to robotics to video games and computers, I was immersed in the world of electrical and computer engineering my whole life,” he says.
Chris is not alone in his decision to change streams part way through, or being uncertain about which discipline within engineering is a good fit. “Making a decision about what you want to do with your life after high school is hard enough, but when you have narrowed it down to the discipline of engineering, the decision about which branch of engineering can also be challenging,” says Chris. “For those who are considering Electrical or Computer Engineering, do some research and discover more about the discipline. I have the confidence to tell you that you will not make the wrong choice by choosing to be a part of either Electrical or Computer Engineering.”
Chris’s graduate research is on digital control for power factor correction. “Basically,” he says, “think of your laptop power supply. We’re working on ways to increase energy efficiency especially while idling.” He’s also interested in “vampire drain” – anything on standby draining energy unnecessarily.
The future looks bright for Chris – who is thinking about whether to pursue a PhD. “I’m the basic, average kid who decided to work hard and now the sky is the limit,” he says, proving that finding the right fit and then applying yourself is always the best recipe for success.