Dr. Huu Doan

To teach his students about the properties of fluids, Huu Doan likes to turn a bottle of ketchup upside down and smack it. "Ketchup is the type of fluid we need to give a shock to—we call this property yield strength,” he explains. He describes his teaching style as head on. At the beginning of the semester, he assesses their knowledge levels, and then tailors his instruction to match.

To prepare them for the industry, Doan reminds students that theoretical estimations are often limited by machinery in the field. "With theory, you can predict, but there will always be exceptions," he explains. Instead, he focuses on teaching students how to problem solve and think outside the box so that they can apply their skills to any field. "I have students that come back to tell me my classes have helped them in their co-op placements or jobs," he says. "That's the best part."

He knows what it’s like to be a TMU student—after all, he did his undergraduate here. After working as an industry consultant for a few years, he came back to teach. "It was like coming home."