Meet Our IEA Alumni: Shruti Vasudev

Department: Bioengineering

Tell us a little about yourself. 

My name is Shruti Vasudev; my family are Indian but I’ve lived in Kenya all my life as part of the large Indian ex-pat community there. I’m nineteen and studying first year bioengineering here at Sheffield. When I arrived I decided to join the International Ambassador Scheme and I’ve recently returned from Kenya where I was giving talks on studying at Sheffield and coming to live in the UK to students at Schools where I grew up. 

How did you decide to study Bioengineering? 

At first I wasn’t very sure if I wanted to do engineering or medicine, because I really liked biology but at the same time I really liked maths and physics. When I found out about bioengineering it seemed like the perfect combination for me and when I read about the course content at Sheffield I was very interested in doing it here too.

The subject is very interesting, I’m very intrigued by a lot of the modules and we have amazing tutors. Sheila MacNeil is my role model; she’s just amazing. Everything about bioengineering suits me very well, all my interests are what I’m studying so it’s a lot of fun. 

What are your plans for after you finish your degree?

Well I’d like to finish my Masters then work in industry for a year first and eventually I’d like to do my MBA and maybe start my own company. My dad owns a business for cardiac surgery equipment, so In the future I’d like my own company, maybe something like medical imaging. 

What have you been doing through the International Ambassador Programme?

This was, undoubtedly, my best experience ever. It was about telling people what we offer at Sheffield, the kind of engineering degrees we do and basically to encourage people to come here. I went to my junior and senior schools at Oshwal Academy. It was so much fun going back to people you know, and they remembered me from last year.  The teachers were all there too and they were so proud that one of their students was in the University and had come back to represent [Sheffield]. That was a really big feeling. 

“Every university should have a scheme like this! I went to Kenya but other students went to other countries and this will make such a big difference” - Shruti Vasudev

One of the other schools I visited, Nairobi Jaffery was a really good experience too. It is a Muslim school and a lot of girls came to my presentation. I think they were surprised to see a girl talking about engineering and to hear that they could do it too. They often come from quite conservative families that don’t always believe in girls taking up something like engineering and when they heard from me that girls can do it and we have jobs all over the world, it meant a lot to them. 

“a lot of girls came to my presentation- I think they were surprised to see a girl talking about engineering and to hear that they could do it too” - Shruti Vasudev

How have you found the audience reaction to your talks?

It’s been really interesting and positive. After I went to the Jaffrey School a lot of the girls’ parents rang me to ask how I was finding it, things like is it a male dominated class? Are there other girls studying with me, how it was on the whole to adjust to the UK and if it was safe for a girl to be there?  They were so interested to know how I was managing not just as a person but as a girl. After the talks some of the teachers came up and asked me to tell them about the course as well. When my biology teacher went back to her class all the boys said “OK today, let’s not study today, tell us about bioengineering a little more!” 

It’s a new scheme this year, how do you feel it has gone so far? 

Every university should have a scheme like this! I went to Kenya but other students went to other countries and this will make such a big difference. I know personally a lot of students will be considering engineering that wouldn’t have done so before. Definitely. This scheme is undoubtedly fantastic, it’s such a big thing. 

My family in India are teachers and this has been so positive for me that I’m hoping that I can arrange to go and speak in some Indian schools next time I visit. 

Do you plan on going back again?

Yes definitely I would love to do this. At the end of the day, it’s such a good feeling knowing that, if I've not made a difference to someone’s life, then at least shown them a path they may not have considered before. That’s such a good feeling, especially when at the end of every presentation a few boys and girls come around and asked questions. I feel like I’ve helped them at least a little bit in choosing a career.

Meet our International Ambassador: Ifedayo Ayodeji

Name: Ifedayo Ayodeji

Course: Bioengineering

Let me start by introducing myself. My name is Ifedayo but everyone calls me Ife, which by the way means love. I am from one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world, Nigeria. I started studying Bioengineering September 2015 in Sheffield and so far, it has been an experience.

My interest in engineering started with shows like Dexter’s Laboratory and Phineas and Ferb. I found it fascinating how you could create something amazing from ordinary objects and imagined building a ride in my background. I was surprised to find out how many different types of engineering there were. I discovered Bioengineering and fell in love with it after watching Robocop (2014). It is a new field in engineering that is rapidly growing and I am really excited to see how it would grow. Besides the fact that is it totally cool, I would love to be part of the people contributing to the growth of the field especially in developing countries like Nigeria and other countries in Africa.

As an international student, it is hard and scary to move from your home to a completely new place right? Well, for me, I was too excited to come to University of Sheffield because I knew it was the right place for me.

The first time I heard of the university was at a career fair in Nigeria. It is very difficult to find good universities that offer bioengineering as a first degree, University of Sheffield offers more than that, it offers opportunities beyond lecture theatres to implement what you have learnt and to grow as an engineer. With the Global Engineering Challenge and Engineering you’re hired, you are giving the opportunity to work with other engineering students on a project which is exciting.

The cultural diversity here is incredible, you get to learn about different cultures all over the world while in one place. Every culture is embraced and celebrated. Sheffield is such a beautiful city as well with so many places to visit such as the winter garden, peak districts and many more.

I came to Sheffield two weeks late and by the end of the week I had already made friends. Everyone here is friendly and there are so many societies, this is an opportunity to meet people with similar backgrounds and interests as you.

Academically speaking, it could really challenging here in Sheffield which is why Sheffield is 109th best university in the world and 42nd in Europe.

My experience here has been amazing and I have no regrets coming to University of Sheffield because it has become a home away from home for me. I have so many friends, places to go while getting one of the best educational knowledge and experience. I would gladly recommend it to my friends

Interview with a student after their Placement Year

By Muhammad Shuja

This blog is a transcript of an interview I took with a final year Bioengineering student at Sheffield who came back after completing her industrial placement, to give you an idea about the application procedures and how degrees with placement years can be beneficial.


Question: Tell me about yourself.
Answer: My name is Hira Nayyar and I am currently in my final year of Bioengineering. I was originally born in Pakistan but moved to the UK at the age of 7.


Question: Where did you do your placement year?

Answer: After successfully completing my second year of Bioengineering, I was able to secure a placement at Philips Healthcare.


Question: How was your time at the firm?

Answer: Being one of the global leaders in Healthcare, I could not have asked for a better place to start my career in engineering. I was given various opportunities and experiences that developed into a better engineer. Philips gave me a platform to showcase my existing skills, yet further enhanced and added to them.


Question: On a scale of 1-10, 1 being very easy and 10 being very difficult, how would you rate the difficulty of the application procedure? And why?

Answer: I would rate the application procedure a 7 as the process was lengthy and challenging due to the mixture of video interviews and competency based application procedures.


Question: Where did you look for placements?

Answer: I used various sites like GradCracker, prospectus and the University Careers Service.


Question: What factors do you think should be considered before applying to a firm?

Answer: A related degree, similar past experiences and if the chosen firm can develop on an applicant’s existing skills.


Question: How would you say graduating with a placement affects your employability after graduation?

Answer: In my opinion having placement experience affects employability immensely, as employers look for graduates who are well groomed. Someone that has had business exposure and knows how to apply their technical knowledge from University to real-life problems.


Question: What advice do you have for prospective students or students looking for placements?

Answer: If you’re looking for placements, apply as soon as possible and don’t be disheartened at the first few rejections. Keep updating your CV and tailor your application and it eventually gets through.


Question: Do I have your consent of posting a transcript of this conversation online?

Answer: Yes.



Thanks a lot for your time!

Click here to get more information about placements: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/placements

Representing the Sheffield Engineering Community in India

A large part of what IEA’s do is outreach; this summer I visited a school in Pune (India) to talk about the different Engineering degrees at the University of Sheffield and how I applied to Bioengineering. Due to the relatively low knowledge students had about the application process, I explained this further, explaining to them the importance of picking the right degree course suited to their aspirations.

 My talk included my experience so far as a Bioengineering student and about Sheffield in general (which included boasting about our new Diamond Building, of course!). Students were interested in the opportunities available to them after graduation so I gave them examples of recently graduated IEA’s and what they want to do next.

It was a really satisfying experience to answer the kind of questions I had before I applied to Sheffield and I feel the students enjoyed the information session as much as I did. Towards the end, I handed out our IEA postcards as a token of remembrance and this generated a lot of excitement! I also shared with the students our blog website if they wanted to follow our experiences further.

Saylee 

Brains at work: First-year students ‘rebuild’ the human body

 Our IEA Saylee Jangam has recently featured in an article by the Hindustan Times. It gives a broad description of her work with her group in a research project under the bio-engineering department that won them second-prize in the first-year category. Read the full article here or click on the article above. 

Meet our International Engineering Ambassadors: Sindoori Muhunthan

Name: Sindoori Muhunthan 

Course: Bioengineering

Nationality: Sri Lanka

A little bit about myself first! I am Sindhoori Muhunthan, currently in my first year of Bioengineering at the University of Sheffield. I have lived my whole life in the tiny town of Kandy, in Sri Lanka where I attended an international school that follows the British education system.

Choosing the correct university for yourself, is one of the most important decisions of your life. I found it to be one of the toughest too. So how did I decide? Since our school followed the British curriculum, we had annual visits and education fairs from some of the best universities in the UK. This was one of the main things that helped me decide which university I want to go to.

Before this though, I had to decide which course was the best for me. I knew I wanted to be a part of the medical environment and contribute to healthcare, however, I did not see myself working in a clinical environment for the rest of my life. This led me to Bioengineering. Bioengineering is a diverse field, though relatively new, which attempts to solve biological problems that have persisted throughout history using engineering principles.

Once I knew which course of study I wanted to pursue, I had to find the best place for it. After a lot of research and tough decision making I decided on the University of Sheffield, and I am happy to say I have not had any second thoughts about my decision after arriving here. The most exciting thing about my course is the diversity of it. One minute you will be sitting in an electronics lecture, and the next you will be examining cadavers in the anatomy lab. We also have talks from guest lecturers who are a part of the bioengineering industry. This is one of the most valuable aspects of my course as it helps us stay in touch with the current trends and progress within the industry. Some of the main things prospective students should think about before picking their major would be to choose a subject they like and can see themselves working on for the rest of their professional career.

I must admit, leaving home and learning to live by myself for the first time scared me! I did not know what to expect since I am from a country with a completely different culture and different traditions. However, after coming here I realized that it wasn’t as scary as I expected and the transition was not too challenging. There is also an active Sri Lankan society here that helps me to stay in touch with my culture and makes me feel at home.

University work can be really challenging at times, but there is an abundance of things you can do here to relax when the work load gets a little bit too much! Joining societies and meeting new people is always a stress- reliever! You can make a trip to the Peak District and do a little bit of hiking and walk along with nature, or watch a movie at the Students’ Union (which is THE place to go to if you want to just grab a quick bite to eat or hang out with your friends) or maybe even engage in some sort of sports. However, you never need to worry too much about not being able to catch up with your studies. The Information Commons, which is a library, is open 24/7 and also, the lecturers here are always willing to help.

I am really happy I chose Sheffield and got accepted here! The city is lovely and safe and also an ideal place to do all your shopping. Living costs are also much lower when compared to other major cities in the UK. Overall, the experience I have had at the University of Sheffield have been amazing so far and I cannot believe I have already completed one semester here! Time sure flies by fast when you’re having fun! Honestly, I cannot think of a better place to live! 

Meet our International Engineering Ambassadors: Au Hui Her

Name: Au Hui Her

Course: MEng Bioengineering

Background about myself

I am from Singapore, a really small tropical country in South East Asia, so small that it is practically a city itself. Consequently it was rather overwhelming when I first came to UK: the sheer size of this country was slightly daunting to me. However, I have always looked forward to studying overseas but my passion for travelling has been restricted due to the size of my home country, hence when the chance to study abroad presented itself to me, I immediately grabbed it.

Why The University of Sheffield?

When I was choosing which country to study in, UK was my top choice as Singapore’s education system closely mimics Britain’s, and The University of Sheffield is one of the few universities in Britain that offers bioengineering as a course. Part of the Russell Group, The University of Sheffield is known for its excellence in research, and since my course is mostly research-based, choosing The University of Sheffield was a no-brainer. Another reason why I chose The University of Sheffield is because of its cost. Sheffield is one of the cheapest city in Britain as the cost of living is 25% cheaper compared to London. Therefore the education I receive here is definitely value for money in my opinion.

Most enjoyable thing about your subject at The University of Sheffield

I find the most enjoyable thing about my course, bioengineering, at The University of Sheffield is that it is very broad. I learn a bit of everything, from control systems to electrical engineering to human anatomy, and eventually at the end I will be able to witness how all these different knowledge work together. In addition to this, we only have to decide on our specialization in the second year, which means that we get to learn more in depth about the different paths in bioengineering and make an informed choice the next year, which is very helpful for me.

Meet our International Engineering Ambassadors: Anna Santagostino Barbone

Name: Anna Santagostino Barbone

Course: Meng Bioengineering

Nationality: Italian

My background

Although I was born and raised in Italy and I have always attended non-international schools near Milan, I can fairly say that I’ve been a cosmopolitan person all of my life. I have been travelling for many years with my parents, who had friends all around Europe and with my friends visiting people I met during my high school semester in Wales at Morriston Comprehensive School. All of this has taught me that being cosmopolitan is a mind-set, no matter if you have lived all of your life in the same country. I found that at the University of Sheffield this is considered as a value and how could this not be? There are more than 160 countries represented in this University!

Why I chose the University of Sheffield.

Before choosing the University I wanted to attend, I did a lot of browsing through websites and I found that UoS website was a really useful resource. I would advise you to have a look at it because it answers a lot of questions you may ask yourself. I read about all of the modules I would have to take if I enrolled on the Bioengineering course and I found it was ideal for someone like me who was always interested in both maths but also in more scientific subjects. I was really confused when I had to choose between Engineering and Medicine but here was the answer for me: Bioengineering. There are other universities offering a similar course but I found that their perspective was more focussed on engineering.

What convinced me to choose the UoS was not solely based on what I had read on the website or on its high ranking. At high school I attended an Open Day at the Polytechnic of Milan which has the best engineering facilities in Italy. I asked a lecturer and the Head of Department of Biomedical Engineering, which would be the best University to study Bioengineering in the UK and they both agreed that the University of Sheffield would have been my best choice.

What I enjoy about my subject at the University of Sheffield

As I said, I don’t think you can find another course like this one because it is split among so many other departments. This way, you get the best of everything that the University of Sheffield can offer you. It is hard to get bored of Bioengineering at the UoS because every module is quite different from the others but at the same time they were chosen in a way that makes them intertwine. I am becoming more aware of this as my first semester is coming to an end and I can see the links between the different subjects I have been taught in the previous months.

Why Sheffield – The Steel City?

I have to say that knowing I would be living in Sheffield helped me decide to attend UoS because Sheffield is a really nice city to live in. This is because you can get the best of both city and country since Sheffield is the third largest metropolitan district in England. It can offer you anything you may be looking for – a lot of international food for example, which I personally adore! It has a very active music scene with lots of gigs on, which makes Sheffield the perfect city to live in if you love music. At the same time, Sheffield lies partially within the Peak District and it is one of the greenest cities in Europe. Whenever you want to get out of the city you can do it very easily, enjoying the wonderful landscapes that the countryside of South Yorkshire has to offer. There is also the possibility of doing  many different outdoor sports that  bring you in close contact with nature, so don’t forget to take your training shoes with you!

The perks of being part of the University of Sheffield

Apart from the academic point of view, UoS has so many opportunities to offer a student. The Students Union has been ranked first in the UK and it does deserve that place because it’s always organising so may events. What strikes me about the UoS is the variety that you can find here. The University organises nights our and clubbing for you and at the same time great sport and volunteering activities, so that if you can manage your own time you could be involved in something 24/7. The word boredom doesn’t exist in Sheffield’s vocabulary.

What I want to do after my degree

There are many things I would like to do after my degree but the main three are: working in the developing world maybe with some kind of organisation like ‘Engineers Without Borders’ or ‘Engineering World Health’; working in a hospital such as the big Royal Hallamshire Hospital here in Sheffield; going back to my home country and starting a bioengineering company in order to develop a field that is not yet represented in Italy. I am aware that these things are very different from one another but I am sure that studying at UoS will give me the inspiration to make the right choice, freely and lead me to the path I wish to follow.

My advice

I’d like to quote from Mark Twain with one of my favourite quotes first: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

I think the final three words clearly represent what you can find in Sheffield and as an international student one should never be afraid to leave home in fear of finding a storm because from what I am experiencing, Sheffield is a great harbour to dock.

Meet our International Engineering Ambassadors: Min Qi Lee

Name: Min Qi Lee

Course: MEng Bioengineering (with a year in industry)

Nationality: Malaysian Chinese
 

Before I begin, let me do a brief self-introduction.

My name is Min Qi Lee. I’m currently in Year 1, doing MEng Bioengineering with a year in industry. I come from South East Asia, Malaysia. (Above Singapore, in case you don’t know where Malaysia is) I’m a Malaysian Chinese just incase if you wonder why do I have a Chinese name.

Why Bioengineering?

After graduating from high school, I made my decision to do A-levels. During A-levels, I learnt biology, chemistry, physics and math. This made me realize which subjects I’m good or weak at. I like dealing with calculations in math and physics and at the same time, I still madly in love with biology! The combination of maths, physics and biology made me choose bioengineering! The simple words, bioengineering is where engineering meets biology/medicine.

Bioengineering simply means using biology principles and engineering skills to produce a better device or technology ranging from MRI to prosthetic arms to improve people’s daily lives.

Why Sheffield?

First of all, Sheffield is the 4^th largest city in UK. It is also considered the safest city in UK. The first word that came out of my mind to describe Sheffield is greenery; this is why there are a lot of parks and gardens around. It is a good place for students to catch some fresh air after a hectic exam week or to relax and chill with some friends. The living expenses in Sheffield are also lower compared to other cities. This is an advantage for an international student like me.

Where do I have my classes?

Since I’m doing Bioengineering, most of my classes are in the engineering building, which is known as the Mappin Building (on the right). However, I also have some biology module, so some of my classes will be in Arts Tower and Alfred Denny Building.

Where is the best place in the University of Sheffield?

To Study:

The best place to study is in the Information Common (IC). It is open 24/7 everyday. There are 6 floors in total. Other than borrowing books, there are scanners, photocopier machines, printers available for the students’ convenience. There is also a prayer room for Muslims in the building.

What if you are hungry while studying? There are vending machines available everywhere. There is also a café in ground floor, which opens for 24 hours as well. They serve hot food, sandwiches, hot and cold beverages.

Good news for engineering students! In September 2015, ‘The Diamond’ will be completed and available for the students. It has a similar concept to the IC and it will be the new place for engineering students to study!

Some advice to all the juniors.

No matter what course you are planning to pursue, make sure you have done all the researches about it. Discuss with your seniors, parents or counsellors and make sure it is what you want. Lastly, enjoy your university life!

Who said you can’t play sports during winter?

Written by: Min Q Lee, MEng in Bioengineering

Are you a sport lover? Afraid that you can’t exercise due to the freezing weather? Don’t want to play sports under the strong wind and cold? Don’t worry; Sheffield has great sports facilities for those who like to play sports. Sport Sheffield, is the University’s sports department: it offers a lot of facilities including swimming pool, sauna steam rooms, bouldering wall, squash courts and many more. 

Sport Sheffield also offers some sports that are exclusively FREE for the residents who live in University student accommodation. The programme is known as the Residence Sport. I have been involved in a few sports that I would like to share with you.

Every Wednesday, Sport Sheffield organises a table tennis social in Stephenson Activity room. It was indeed fun and I learnt to play a new sport. It was actually my first time playing table tennis in my life. (It is exclusively free with Residence Life)  

On Friday night, I will book my place online for a swimming session since I am not a party go-er. Swimming on a Friday night is the best way to release stress and relax.

This is the Olympic sized, 33m indoor-heated pool. The temperature is kept constant at 28 degrees. Lifeguards are also always on duty, supervising the swimming pool.

Changing rooms are also available. The changing rooms include lockers, shower rooms with shampoo, hairdryers and also a cool machine to dry your swimsuit (on your left).

If you prefer extreme sports, consider bouldering. Bouldering is rock climbing without ropes. Do not underestimate bouldering, it is not as easy as it seems. Every session of bouldering has a professional instructor to guide and explain some simple rules to you.

Bouldering was considered tough to me (because I am small sized and do not have enough upper strength), yet it was challenging and fun. 

David, he is a very professional instructor. He gave me a lot of useful advice and tips for bouldering. 

These are some of the sports organised by Sport Sheffield in which I have been involved so far and they are all exclusively free for residents living in University accommodation (how cool is that?!). Sometimes, after a long day of classes and studies, it is good to relax and give yourself a break. 

Meet Our International Engineering Ambassadors: Saylee

Name: Saylee Jangam

Course: BEng Bioengineering

Nataionality: Indian

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I was born in Mumbai and spent the first six years of my life there before moving to another city in India for a year and then finally, moving to Hong Kong at the age of seven. When people ask me where I’m from, it’s an odd combination of India and Hong Kong. After five years in Hong Kong, I moved back to India and did my IGCSEs and A levels at RIMS International School & Junior College, Pune. All this travelling has really shaped me as an individual and has led me to study Bioengineering at the University of Sheffield.

Why did you choose the University of Sheffield to study your subject?

I chose the University of Sheffield because it offers Bioengineering as a degree with the flexibility of choosing a specialization in second year instead of the first. This gives students a year to explore the different aspects of Bioengineering and choose one that appeals to them the most. Bioengineering at Sheffield is extremely interdisciplinary in terms of the number of departments that contribute to it – seven to be precise! And apart from all this, the University is ranked 69^th in the World Times Higher Education rankings and is a top institution in the UK.

What’s the most enjoyable thing about studying your subject at the University of Sheffield?

The most enjoyable thing about my course would be the diversity of it. I have an electronics module as well as a human anatomy module. Because so many departments contribute to my degree, I get the opportunity to meet other engineering students during class which is always fun. What I love about my department is that we often have these tutorials where we look at the ‘big picture’, we discuss how Bioengineering is changing healthcare in the UK and all over the world, especially in developing countries and how it has the potential to solve major problems. These talks are motivational and thought provoking and are exactly what a student needs to hear from time to time as a reminder of how important the things we’re learning are. 

What are the most valuable aspects of your course?

One of the most valuable aspects of my course is the guest lectures that the department regularly organises on the different specialisations available to choose from in second year. Another great thing about the Faculty of Engineering at Sheffield is the fact that they put a large emphasis on careers and have talks from people working in Industry. Recently, I attended a talk by a professor in my department organized by the Institute of Engineering and Technology – which students at the University get to be members of – on the topic of biomedical engineering research. 

How did you find the teaching and study methods at the University of Sheffield?

One thing that got me excited in my lectures was the use of ‘clickers’. This is an app on your smartphone which enables you to answer the question asked by the professor at that moment in a class of 200 people. The app then records your answer, collates the data from the rest of the class and prepares a bar graph of the percentage right and wrong. The professor will then discuss the answer. I feel this method is effective to keep such a large class engaged and attentive. It also helps to know where you’re going wrong if you are. 

Some lecturers also put up recordings of actual lectures on MOLE (My Online Learning Environment) which is an online university portal that you use to access all your study materials which is very helpful as you can log back in any time to access anything you need. These methods make information accessible to students if and when they need it, at their own convenience. And of course, there’s always the iSheffield app!

What do you see as the benefits of an education from the University of Sheffield?

The most important benefit of an education at the University of Sheffield is that your professors are one of the top academics in their field. They have the relevant knowledge and experience that you need to do well in your course and they are always willing to help…you just have to be brave enough to ask for it!  And in fact, that’s what you eventually learn to do at university – get brave enough to ask for help. 

The university offers great careers services to its students and has a student advice centre for any personal problems. The Students Union is THE place to go if you need any sort of help – whether it is opening a bank account when you’re new in Sheffield or grabbing a quick bite to eat between two lectures. An education at UoS is beneficial for the balance between academics and social activities you can find here.

What in your opinion is the best thing about life at the University of Sheffield?

The best thing about life here is that there is just so much on offer you can literally never get bored. At the University of Sheffield, there is an abundance of choice and never boredom, and your only challenge is to choose and to manage your time well. 

What do you hope to achieve after you’ve finished your course?

After my course, I would like to either continue studying for a Masters degree or work for a while and then get back to academia. I see myself working for the development of rural countries and this is something I would like to get involved in from the start which is why I have joined the Engineers Without Borders Society. 

What advice would you give for prospective students coming to Sheffield?

I would tell prospective students not to worry about moving away from home. You might get homesick but take it from my own experience – you will honestly have no time to be thinking about it once you start your course. Uni life is fast paced and keeping up with it helps you grow as a person. It is a challenging time that pushes you outside your comfort zone and whilst all this is happening, Sheffield as a city provides you a safe and friendly atmosphere like a home away from home.

World Week in Sheffield?!

Written by: Saylee Jangam

Last Week at the University of Sheffield there was World Week, a week organized by the International Students’ Committee to celebrate the international diversity in Sheffield. The following is my experience of the World Parade that took place to mark the beginning of World Week on 15^th November, 2014.

World Week began ceremoniously with the ever popular World Parade that happens every year starting at the Students Union. Over 150 students participated this year and gathered outside the Students Union on the chilly morning of Saturday, 15^th November. As a fresher, the World Parade, I had heard, was something not to be missed so although it was drizzling and far too foggy for my liking, I headed outside to join this celebration and I am so glad I did because I had such a great time!

Once at the SU, I picked up the Hong Kong flag as it was the first thing I spotted amongst the other flags laid onto the welcome desk of the International Languages Festival that was happening the same day (for which I volunteered to face paint – more on that later haha). And once my friends had picked out their flags, we walked outside to join the others in order to start our parade to the Winter Gardens in the city centre.

After a brief photo session, we started our walk and to my surprise, a fellow IEA was playing the ‘Dhol’ – an Indian drum-like instrument. And what does one do when the Dhol is played, you ask? Bhangra*, of course!  

Walking through the city centre as part of such a big group was definitely interesting. We had a lot of people looking our way and some even taking pictures. Once at the winter gardens, we had another photo session (there can never be too many of these!) and soon after, I came back to the SU for the Languages festival after a quick lunch in the city centre.

The International Languages festival was a two-day event over the weekend where students volunteered to teach a language as part of World Week, and other students came to learn. They had a total of about 30 different languages being taught that weekend which I found very impressive. I was volunteering to face paint in the Activities Zone of the SU so this is what I did when students came out of classes for a break or if committee members of the ISC (International Students’ Committee) wanted to get their faces painted as well. I mostly painted flags to go with the theme but at one point, was asked to paint an elephant too. 

I met so many new people during the World Parade as well as the Languages festival and honestly had a brilliant time. To make things even better, they had Masala Chai at Coffee Revolution for the entire week! Now I can proudly say that I have checked off ‘World Parade’ from my to-do list at Uni.

Have a look at the few highlights! :)

*Bhangra – an energetic form of Indian dance.

Studying Chemical Engineering at The University of Sheffield

Studying Chemical Engineering at The University of Sheffield
Written by: Tamara Hijazi


Since this is my first post ever, I thought I should introduce myself.
If you’re not interested in my life story, skip to the next paragraph but I recommend you read on.


Oh, you’re still here, good! I’m a second year Chemical Engineering student. Yes, I am an International student, from a fairly unusual place: Palestine. Think that’s interesting? Well, there’s more. I live in Abu Dhabi. It’s next to Dubai (I’ve had people being confused when I say Abu Dhabi but whenever I mention that it’s right next to Dubai, the confused looks turn into ‘Ahhh!’s). My dad was quite skeptical about me studying abroad, but I wanted to because I wanted to meet people from all over the world, live somewhere else, experience a different climate. (Abu Dhabi is a desert, it’s pretty much sunny all year round), be more independent and so I convinced my dad that I will be fine by myself and well, here I am! I’ve learned so much from being here and my English has certainly improved. One thing I love about Sheffield is that people here are so friendly, and I love it.


Right, so, Chemical Engineering. If you think it’s all about Chemistry, then you need to get your facts straight! Chemistry does play a small role, but it’s certainly not everything! Briefly, Chemical Engineering is about designing the processes and equipment which are inevitably used in industry every single day. From heat exchangers to distillation columns, to tanks, pumps and pipes. Since chemicals are usually used for these processes, a Chemical Engineer must also have knowledge in Chemistry in order to evaluate these substances and come up with the most optimum design for the chemical involved.

For instance, if you’re trying to design a tank to store, say, Hydrochloric acid, or HCl (a very corrosive acid), then you would find the best material to build the tank from, one that does not react with HCl and make that tank from that material. This is just the tip of the iceberg and there is more aspects to Chemical Engineering than that but I hope that the above gave you, dear readers, an insight.  


For my A-levels, I've done Chemistry, Maths and Biology. Choosing a course can be difficult if you have no idea what you want. For me, I knew I liked Maths and Science-related subjects in general. Narrowing it down, I came across Chemical Engineering. I've done quite a lot of research, went into forums and visited blogs to know what it is and some of the modules it contains. I was very interested in what I've read and I've decided it was the course for me! When choosing a course, it is important that YOU find it interesting and you’ll enjoy it, otherwise you’re not going to have as much fun.


I would have loved to give more elaborate more about my course and being an International student in Sheffield, but I have to go revise as exams are right around the corner. If you've got exams coming up soon as well, good luck to you!

Thanks for reading.
Tamara Hijazi

International Engineering Ambassador - Shruti Vasudev

Written By: Alireza Parandeh

If you remember, a few months back near summer we posted a blog entry about Shruti and her placement. She's currently an international engineering student from University of Sheffield, working for National Instruments, one of the biggest data acquisition companies that specialise in data logging and solving real world measurement problems. 

International bioengineering student Shruti, talks about her experiences at The University of Sheffield as an international student and an international engineering ambassador. 

Watch the video below to find out more about Shruti and her work at National Instruments.