Clayton Mullen

Clayton Mullen decided to go into engineering because when he was young he "really loved computers and taking things apart and putting them back together again."

In 2000, Clayton graduated from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota with a Master's of Science in Software Engineering. Studying at the Masters level was a challenge because he commuted to school, "an hour and a half, twice a week, after work for four years." He got through the tough bits with a lot of determination and by focusing on the "end goal" of becoming an engineer. Clayton says his education has provided him a whole new way of looking at the world and some amazing opportunities, such as working at 3M, the company that created Scotch tape and Post-it notes.

Today, Clayton owns his own business in Vancouver, BC. Objectified Software is a software development and consulting firm. Like other entrepreneurs, Clayton takes a hands-on approach to the company's success, "I do everything from consulting to software development to sales and marketing," he explains.

His message to students, "science is a lot of fun. Take math and science classes, you won't regret it. Learning science can give you opportunities to see other parts of the world and make a good living." More importantly, he adds, "it can help you bring needed skills back to your communities."

Outside of work, Clayton enjoys fly-fishing, hockey and playing his guitar.