Graduate Spotlight: Walter Amador

November 4, 2026— Ahead of Laurentian University’s Fall Convocation on November 7, the university is celebrating graduating Master of Computational Sciences (M.Sc.)  student Walter Iran Amador Valenzuela in its ongoing Graduate Spotlight series. Moving from Honduras to Northern Ontario to specialize in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, Amador helped Laurentian’s SnoBots team earn first place overall in the Pro League at the FIRA RoboWorld Cup and has transitioned into an engineering lead role within the health tech industry.

Amador earned his undergraduate degree in computer science in Honduras and worked in software development before seeking to deepen his expertise in intelligent systems. Drawn to Sudbury’s bilingual character and Laurentian’s hands-on curriculum, he enrolled in the M.Sc. in Computational Sciences program. His coursework helped him connect ideas across artificial intelligence, robotics, security, and data practices.

Working in Laurentian’s robotics laboratory under the mentorship of Dr. Meng-Cheng Lau, Amador focused his master’s research on autonomous navigation using a LIMO Pro robotic vehicle running the Robot Operating System 2 (ROS2). Together with his peers, he developed a computer vision system that detects lane lines, plans a safe path around obstacles, and steers the robot along it.

“I was drawn to robotics because it brings software into the physical world, where code has to cope with real cameras, real noise, and real surprises,” said Amador.

The lab also gave Amador a sense of belonging at Laurentian. Learning alongside his teammates and working with Dr. Lau encouraged him to explore concepts more deeply and build friendships along the way.

At the FIRA RoboWorld Cup, Amador and his SnoBots teammates competed against teams from around the world, encountering new ideas and different approaches to the same challenges. Their first-place finish overall in the Pro League followed many sleepless nights of trial and error as they worked toward a robot they could trust in competition.

Adapting to Northern Ontario’s climate and a new culture presented initial hurdles, but Amador credited his family’s resilience, Dr. Lau’s guidance, and the camaraderie of his lab teammates for helping him make Sudbury home.

Sharing his projects on LinkedIn and building professional connections helped Amador attract interest from recruiters. One of those conversations led to his current role as an engineering lead in the health tech industry. Today, he leads a platform team that builds and maintains the cloud systems other product teams rely on, combining his software and cloud background with the research and teamwork skills he developed at Laurentian.

“My advice to other students is to build connections, talk to people, and take part in local community and university events,” Amador said. “Everyone is learning something new, so give it a shot.”

Laurentian University congratulates Walter Amador and the entire graduating class of Fall 2026.