Michelle DeLoyde

Michelle DeLoyde is a third-year Civil Engineering Student at the University of Toronto. She has a passion for municipal engineering and environmental sustainability, especially in the hydrology and water resource space.

Skills

Water Resources and Hydrology Group Student Researcher

In Summer 2025 I worked as a student researcher as part of Professor Mohammed Basheer’s Water resource and hydrology Group. This group is part of the Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering at the University of Toronto. I received an Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) from the Natural Science and Engineering Research a Council of Canada (NSERC) to fund my research for the summer.First, I had to learn about water resources and the program I would be using to create a hydrological model. I spent two weeks completing the training modules. Most of it focused on how to use PYWR (Python Water Resources) to great models with nodes and edges (like in graph theory). This was challenging, especially at first, as the program was based on Python and JSON files, which I have never used before. However, I got through it with additional resources, such as a five-hour video on how to code in Python.Next, I was assigned my watershed. I got the Thames River Basin. I then had to learn all about this basin and the hydrological structures present in it. I learned about its three main dams, how big they were, and where they were located, so that I could add them to my model and simulate them. One task that had to be completed was showing where water was removed from the basin. This was difficult to find. However, I remembered my experience from the previous summer working at the City of North Bay, where I did research for the approval of a permit to take water. In Ontario, if you take over 50 000 litre of water in one day. As it turns out, there is a public record of all take water permits. I found this record, but was then faced with another challenge — how could I narrow this down to only the ones in my area, and then put them into my model? I did not want to do it one at a time manually, so I decided to write Python code to do it automatically. I put my training to good use and was able to write this code all on my own.It was a really good learning experience, as I was faced with a naturally occurring real world problem, and I had to come up with a solution to it with minimal guidance.

Next, I had to find and simulate the weather patterns for my model. I has to dig through the Government of Canada website to find what I was looking for – a place where I could download a mass amount of weather data for one region for a specific period of time (30 years from 1993 to 2023, to allow for any one time flukes to be discarded). After locating this data, I once again wrote code in Python to extract it.After gathering the weather data, I then moved to another program, HEC-HMS, which simulates water flowing through hydrological basins based on terrain data, rather than the hydrological structures. I used ARCGIS Pro to create the topological data that was fed into HEC-HMS. I then put the weather data I extracted into the program.After a lot of trial and error trying to get the simulation to work, I decided to switch the temperature and precipitation simulation method. I once again used Python to do a weighted average of the temperatures and precipitation for my 40+ sub basins. I had also gotten the weighted through the Theissian Polygon method in ArcGIS.Finally, after a lot of work switching the simulation method, the simulation ran. Then it was time for my to optimize my model with parameters such as soil prosodie and tree cover. I worked on this optimization for the rest of the summer.Currently, my model is now being used by an upper year student for their thesis project, where they are researching the best way to optimize models.

During this experience I learned a lot about doing research for myself. I also really strengthen by Python skills by coding for real world problems that came up during my research. I also learned communication, as I created a few instructional videos on how to use the softwares, as well as provide weekly updates to my supervisor.From this experience, I learned that modelling can sometimes make you want to tear your hair out, as my supervisor said, but you must have patience and perseverance. The end result will be worth it.

Skule Nite Sound Effects Director

Every year that I have been in university I have been involved in Skule Nite in some way or another. Skule Nite is a musical sketch comedy revue put on and written by engineering students for engineering students. The show is different every year, and focuses on things that UofT engineering students experience, such as Frosh Week or exam seasonsIn first year, I auditioned to be a cast member, but didn’t get it. Instead, I worked as a carpentry volunteer, and got to develop my hands on skills. I learned how to use power tools such as a mitre saw and power drill. I helped build various set pieces such as tables and a button stand. I am especially proud of the work I did on a staircase. I learned a bit about how to make it structurally sound as well.

In second year, I was the Assistant Sound Effects Director. In this role, I was responsible for helping the Sound Effects Director find and program sound effects for the show. I learned how to use a new software (QLab) in just one weekend. Throughout the processes, there were many different artistic directions, from the sound effects director, the

director, the actors, and me. At first it was tough balancing everyone’s wants and needs, but in the end I learned how to make compromises, and deliver a final product that everyone could be happy about.I also learned a lot about working under pressure. A lot of things happen in the weekend before the show. In fact, entire scenes get cut, and tons of new sound effects are added or deleted. I had to learn to go with the flow, and be able to work under this time crunch. I also had to accept criticism and feedback on the sound effects, and learn to not take it personally.

This year, I am not the Sound Effects Director. I am now developing my skills as a leader, as I have to guide my own assistant through the process now. It is especially helping in developing my sound effects skills, as the best way to learn is by teaching someone else.Through Skule Nite, I have learned how to. Work under pressure to meet the needs and expectations of a wide range of different peoples. I have strengthened my skills to work in a. Team, both as a leader and a follower.Overall, Skule Nite has really taught me how to work under pressure in a high stress environment.