BOARD PROFILE: Andrew Cruickshank
Andrew Cruickshank
Tell me a little bit about yourself 
I am currently finishing my 5th year of mechanical engineering and society here at McMaster. I study energy systems, mechanical devices, and social development as part of this, and am very interested in environmental issues and their solutions.
What do you love about being an OPIRG Board member?
I have been part of the board of OPIRG since the end of summer this year during which I was working with them as the green roof researcher. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with OPIRG for many reasons. The most important reason is because of the people here. In many of the environmental organizations and social action groups I have worked with over the past few years, I have found that the people who tend to work in this industry or volunteer in it do so because they love working there, and the cause they support in their work. There are many great individuals that I have met as part of OPIRG, and have made my experience here quite enjoyable.
What are the challenges of being an OPIRG Board member?
The challenges of being a board member at OPIRG are mainly due to having a busy schedule to balance from university (as many students have), and deciding which groups should receive support and how much within the budget.
What have you learned so far from your experience of being part of the OPIRG Board of Directors?
I have learned about many different issues and organizations that OPIRG is involved with, and have been quite surprised with the number of amazing groups on campus, and what they have done in the past year. There are many great groups connected with OPIRG and they deserve a lot of credit for the work that they do.
What social issue is most important to you that you think should be addressed?
There are many different social issues affecting Hamilton and the world that should be addressed, but as an engineering student I feel most strongly about how I can affect issues related to energy conservation and the move towards renewable technology. Our current use of fuels contributes strongly to global warming and air quality problems which affect the world, and I hope to help with this problem in the future.