Bridging aerospace and AI: Ahmed Negm’s internship journey at Bombardier
When Ahmed Negm lined up at the Bombardier booth at an on-campus networking event, he wasn’t sure what to expect. After introducing himself to Duminda Perera, Supervisor, Methods – FTP and Alen Abraham, Supervisor, Methods – Structures, and sharing his passion for aerospace engineering, opportunity quickly followed. Within weeks, he landed an interview — the first step in what would become a defining chapter of his career at Bombardier.
In 2023, Negm began interning at Bombardier as a second-year aerospace engineering student at Toronto Metropolitan University. Mentored and supported by supervisors Perera and Nesarajah Jeyacanthan, he helped engineers troubleshoot avionics, structural, and systems testing on the Bombardier Global 7500 – one of the world’s largest business jets. During this placement, he proposed and developed a machine-learning solution to diagnose a recurring production issue, reducing analysis time from roughly 48 hours to as little as 15 minutes. Following this impact, he was offered a two-year internship with Bombardier’s Data Engineering and Artificial Intelligence team, working with international teams from North America to the Middle East, from Wichita to Dubai.
Ahmed Negm was joined by his family at the Bombardier Employee Family Day in front of the Global 7500 aircraft.
Over three years of Bombardier placements, Negm never felt like “just the intern.” He formed genuine relationships, with teammates championing his success and inviting him to sports and gatherings outside the office. The experience left a lasting impression. “Technical skills matter,” said Negm, “but being curious, respectful, and easy to collaborate with is what helps you contribute at a higher level.”
Balancing placements and coursework can be challenging for students. For Negm, the support network around him made all the difference. When he took a year away from school to begin his first internship, aerospace engineering Professor Paul Walsh helped him map out a return plan and stay academically on track. Professor Reza Faieghi also became a mentor and supervisor, encouraging Negm’s passion for machine-learning applications in aerospace. Faieghi’s guidance led Negm to develop his undergraduate thesis on improving the safety of autonomous drones using machine learning. Negm shared behind every milestone was the steady support of his parents, Dr. Wael Negm and Ms. Mona – always checking in, reminding him why he started, and believing in him even on the hard days. Their encouragement didn’t just help him succeed; it helped him keep going.
“The mentorship I received has helped me strengthen my research approach, technical writing, and how I communicate my engineering ideas.”
Now in his final year of study, Negm continues to stack his experiences, starting a new placement on Bombardier’s Program Development Acceleration group. In this role, he’s contributing to research and development work across Bombardier’s aircraft platforms. “These experiences have helped grow my skills in data engineering, machine learning, and aerospace problem-solving,” shared Negm. “I’ve seen first-hand how scalable improvements can support safer, more efficient operations globally.”
Learn more about TMU’s aerospace engineering undergraduate program.