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Curiosity and devotion have always been at the heart of Tianna Sequeira’s journey at SFU.

Once an aerialist and juggler in a performing arts group, Tianna has carried the same rhythm and energy into her university life by actively participating in areas of academics, leadership and community. School became a place where she constantly sought out new opportunities, eventually building up her path to pursue her passions in sustainability and space.

When Tianna began her studies at SFU in 2018, she majored in International Studies, with a concentration in environment. But she soon realized how difficult it was to engage in policy debates about technology without having a strong technical foundation. This turning point prompted Tianna to switch her major to Sustainable Energy Engineering (SEE), a program where she could better understand the engineering behind the technologies that are discussed at the government level.

After transferring to SEE, Tianna strengthened her technical foundation and began exploring the interconnection between sustainability and space. With this decision, Tianna’s research thesis brought her two passions together, bridging what she had learned in the classroom with her broader vision for sustainable space exploration. In April, she became the first honours student in SEE to successfully defend her thesis.

During her final year, she undertook an internship with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and worked on a sustainability-related project — the OASYS Lunar Greenhouse project. 

“It was my first time working on a technical project in the aerospace field where I got to apply lots of my SEE knowledge,” says Tianna. “This experience showed me how sustainable energy principles could be applied in entirely new contexts. It sparked my interest in exploring future projects involving rovers or space robotics.”

Reflecting on her most standout moment during the internship, Tianna recalls a time when she spoke with a flight controller in the mission control room at the CSA headquarters. “Seeing the ISS and constellations on the screens and learning how people control and monitor them for a living was really cool. It definitely confirmed my interest in pursuing a career in the aerospace sector” she recounts.

Alongside her internship experiences, Tianna has been deeply engaged in community and leadership roles, from the Astronomy Club to the Women in Clean Tech Design Team, and as a FAS Ambassador.

Her main motivation, she explains, was to become the kind of role model she wished to have when first entering university. “I had so many questions and doubts and I didn’t know where to start” she recalls. Stepping into these roles, Tianna not only built connections with people of similar interests but also became a resource for incoming students, supporting their journey at SFU. 

Tianna highlights a project from her involvement in the Women in Clean Tech Design Team, where she helped design lighting systems and electrical schematics for buildings to meet ASHRAE standards, and later contributed to prototyping an air quality monitoring system. “It was one of my first chances to integrate what I learned from courses in engineering design, electrical and mechanical principles and coding into a single project,” she says.

Through these experiences, Tianna developed worthwhile skills in self-advocacy, conflict management and teamwork, as well as numerous lessons that later proved essential in her co-op and internship opportunities. Outside of her campus activities, Tianna expanded her horizons through her involvement with organizations such as Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS-Canada) and Zenith Canada Pathways Fellowship.

These experiences opened her eyes to the aerospace community, where she discovered the field is far more diverse than she initially imagined. “I used to think the only way to get involved in space was to become an engineer,” she admits. “But I’ve learned that aerospace is about so much more than just the technical aspects — you are constantly learning on the job and from people with very different backgrounds.”

As Tianna looks back on her journey, she acknowledges that one of the biggest challenges she faced was imposter syndrome. Even though she had always been passionate about science, technology and space, she often doubted whether she truly belonged in the field. Transferring programs halfway through her studies felt like a leap into the unknown, a risk she wasn’t sure would pay off. 

Despite those doubts, Tianna found that her dedication and perseverance carried her forward. “I remind myself that I worked hard to get here and that my path does not need to look like anyone else’s.” This mindset helped her overcome moments of uncertainty and shaped the resilience and confidence she carries towards her future career.

When asked for advice for new incoming students, Tianna encourages students to step outside of their comfort zone.

“Take every opportunity you can. Even though it took me longer to graduate than some of my peers, I’m grateful for the experiences I gained along the way, each of which gave me something valuable to look back on and learn from.”

This October, Tianna crosses the convocation stage to her academic success.