George Defo

“A student organization will provide you amazing experiences, opportunities and a sense of community that is priceless.”

Favourite thing about Concordia: I really appreciate how well-located Concordia. It's surrounded by a vibrant mix of restaurants, cafés and activities. The energy of the neighborhood makes the university feel alive and connected to the city.

Why Concordia?

I chose Aerospace Engineering at Concordia because it is a challenging field, and Concordia is among the most the most innovative and connected universities on the topic. Concordia is renowned for aerospace topics like composites, thermal sprays and detonation engines. It also has some of the most competitive aerospace student organizations, like SAE Aero and Space Concordia.

What has been your best university experience?

My best university experience was being part of Space Concordia. My time working with the elements of rocket propulsion in the Rocketry Division gave me invaluable experience in the extremely difficult field of rocket science. More importantly, I will cherish forever the community and friendships I made at Space Concordia. As we usually say in the organization: “You come for the rockets and end up staying for the people.”

What does campus life look like for you?

My typical day coming to Concordia starts with me in the metro. As a typical Concordian, once I get on the green line, I always walk all the way to the last wagon to exit right in front of the Guy-Concordia metro stairs. I then grab a coffee and continue my way to the Engineering Cage, the place where SAE and Space Concordia do all their work. I socialize with a few people there and then head to my classes. Typical classes I take in Aerospace: Option A are very focused on fluid mechanics and thermodynamics. My favorite course is Gas Dynamics; it teaches you how flow behaves in rocket engines and around supersonic planes, which I think are really cool topics!

Are there any projects you’re particularly proud of?

• Worked on developing a composite combustion chamber for the Space Concordia Rocket! Showed our work at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Paris, 2022.
• Worked on developing a rocket turbopump for the Space Concordia rocket. Presented our work at IAC in Milan, 2024.
• Currently working on novel detonation engine work related to hypersonic engines for my PhD along with Dr. Charles Kiyanda at Concordia. Presented my work at the International Colloquium on the Dynamics of Explosions and Reactive Systems (ICDERS) in Ottawa.

How have you gained experience outside of the classroom?

I gained experience at Space Concordia and in my many research internships. Space Concordia has a wide field of space-related domains, including spacecraft, robotics, rocketry and space health. I have gained knowledge that is very hard to find, notably in rockets and propulsion systems. I also had the opportunity to develop an interest in academia and worked with many professors in topics that I found interesting. These ranged from seal materials for turbine engines to rotating detonation rocket engines, which linked well with my Space Concordia experience.

What was it like studying in English?

I did my high school and CEGEP in French, and it wasn’t the most comfortable shift to come to university in English. Thankfully I was able to adapt, and I now have a much better mastery of the English language thanks to my time at Concordia. This challenge, like all challenges, was hiding an opportunity to grow, and in this case, it was my ability to communicate.

Curious what engineering student life has to offer? Learn more about student groups in the Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science!