Tech@RBC Insider Series: Debug, design, deliver: Real-world problem solving
Think like a problem-solving pro. 🧠
Forget theoretical case studies and textbook scenarios. This September, in collaboration with RBCx and RBC Borealis, we’re bringing real challenges from one of Canada’s largest banks directly to U of T — along with the experts who solve them every day.
Whether you’re heading into software engineering, product management, data science or consulting, the ability to systematically approach complex challenges will set you apart in interviews and on the job. Problem-solving isn’t just another soft skill — it’s the difference between following tutorials and thinking outside the box, building solutions that matter.
Enjoy a boxed meal during our registration period (5:30-6 p.m.)
Event details:
Event Details
📆 Tuesday, September 29, 6–8 p.m. (Registration opens at 5:30 p.m.)
📍 U of T Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus, 108 College St.
🎁 Exclusive tech giveaway
🍕 Free event; food provided.
This event is open to U of T students only. Spots are limited — secure yours now!
To fully participate in this event, please bring your laptop and charger.
Schedule:
Part 1: Tech Talk (6–6:40 p.m.)
Lightning talks from RBC experts breaking down how they use AI to solve challenges for clients, teams, or the communities RBC operates in.
Hear from RBC’s Experts:
Natalie Calderon, Head of Marketing, Dr. Bill (RBCx) on Dr. Bill’s Registration Roadblocks: Discover how data-powered problem-solving strategies can accelerate your path from identifying challenges to implementing solutions. Through Dr. Bill's case study, you’ll learn how the team tackled lagging user registration through systematic root cause analysis, identifying and removing key roadblocks — ultimately exceeding growth targets. This lightning talk shows you the exact methodology behind turning data insights into measurable impact.
Sean Holmes, Senior Director, Customer Experience and Fraud Management, MyDoh (RBCx) and Aidan Gibson, Software Developer on MyDoh’s Fraud Fighter FRAN: Learn how intelligent automation reshapes fraud prevention from reactive detection to real-time protection. MyDoh's fraud monitoring system FRAN showcases how intelligent bots and real-time automation can reliably identify and block high-risk activity before it happens. Unlock the strategies behind building systems that scale security without slowing down user experience.
Eric He, Research Director, Machine Learning, RBC Borealis on Problem Solving: AI research isn't just theory, it's the engine behind RBC's most impactful solutions. Explore RBC Borealis' systematic approach to tackling complex challenges from identifying high-impact problems to deploying machine learning models that drive measurable results across the bank. Learn the problem-solving methodologies our researchers use to bridge cutting-edge AI innovation with practical applications that matter to RBC's business, clients, and communities we operate in.
Part 2: Networking (6:40-7 p.m.)
Take a break to network and connect with RBC Early Tech Talent staff to learn about RBC career paths and opportunities.
Part 3: Hands-on workshop (7–8 p.m.)
Working in small teams, you’ll tackle a multi-layered scenario that mirrors what RBC teams face. You’ll practice breaking down complex problems, prioritizing investigation paths and communicating technical findings to non-technical stakeholders—skills that separate junior employees from senior ones.
About the Speakers
Natalie Calderon is Head of Marketing at Dr. Bill, RBCx, and is a revenue-focused marketing leader with deep experience across SaaS, technology, and global consumer brands spanning a wide range of industries. She has a proven track record of building teams, processes, and brands from the ground up, turning strategy into action to deliver sustainable business growth. Recognized as one of Canada's Top Marketing Leaders to Watch, Natalie brings a rare balance of strategic thinking, creativity, and commercial discipline to every challenge, blending data-driven insight with creative instinct to drive measurable results.
Sean Holmes is Senior Director of Customer Experience and Fraud Management CoE at RBCx, where he leads customer-facing teams and fraud management across RBCx's portfolio companies. With 20 years at RBC, Sean has held progressive leadership roles spanning risk management, operations, distribution strategy and customer experience — including Head of Risk for both RBCx and Mydoh, and operational leadership across multiple RBC divisions. Over the past 5 years, he has specialized in fraud mitigation and risk management, recently spearheading RBCx's first fraud response automation program. Sean’s team leverages chatbots and deterministic workflows to dramatically improve response times and operational efficiency. A multiple-time RBC performance award winner and Leo Award recipient, Sean is committed to fostering engaged, healthy workplace cultures where innovation drives business impact and customer value. On a personal note, Sean lives deep in the woods in the small town of Madoc (~3 hours north-east of Toronto) with his wife and 3 kids, where they raise egg-laying chickens and make maple syrup.
Aidan Gibson is a software developer at RBCx/Mydoh where he focuses on building software that helps youth and families build financial literacy. Since joining the team, he has contributed to core product features to enhance user experience and platform performance. He has also worked closely with the fraud/risk team to help combat fraudsters through the use of technology.
Dr. Eric Jiawei He is Senior Director of Research at RBC Borealis, where he leads machine learning research and strategic innovation. Based in Vancouver, he received the Ph.D. degree in Computing Science from Simon Fraser University, Canada in 2020. He also holds a Master of Engineering from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and a Bachelor of Engineering from Zhejiang University, China. During his doctoral studies, he spent time as a research intern at Disney Research, where he contributed to publications on video analysis and generation based on variational approaches. Dr. He’s research focuses on deep generative models, including LLM and their applications. He currently leads a portfolio of projects focusing on applying machine learning to financial applications in RBC. Dr. He also led organizing multiple workshops at NeurIPS, ICLR, AAAI, CVPR, etc.
About the Tech@RBC Insider Series:
The Tech@RBC Insider Series is a four-part annual program designed to equip students with industry-ready skills and facilitate meaningful connections with experts in the field. This event series is co-hosted by Tech@RBC, U of T Arts & Science and Applied Science & Engineering.
Stay tuned for information on future sessions:
November 17
January 28
March 11
This event is proudly sponsored by
About Tech@RBC:
Students and new grads are an important part of building our future in tech as a digitally-enabled relationship bank, and central to RBC’s purpose to help clients thrive and communities prosper. With hundreds of roles, across dozens of work streams, there are countless opportunities to learn, grow and work with purpose, while launching your career in tech.
Learn more about starting your career at RBC in tech.