Meet our IEA Alumni - Tazri Khan

Hi! This is Tazri, and I am a former IEA. I graduated with a BEng Chemical Engineering from Sheffield in 2014. I was initially on MEng Chemical Engineering, due to my interest in process engineering in industry. While doing a group report on the lifecycle of a pair of jeans during my third year, I became aware of the consequences of fast fashion on climate change and I realised I enjoyed studying environmental engineering more. I realised I wanted more specialisation for a masters degree and switched to studying MSc Environmental and Energy Engineering at Sheffield.

During my MSc degree, I particularly enjoyed areas related to renewable energy. My continued interest in the industry also led me to study modules related to industrial safety. Outside academic life, I was able to pursue my interest in environment and sustainability through Engineers Without Borders at Sheffield. I wish I could go back to 2013 and re-do the group project on the lifecycle of a pair of jeans – I feel I have learned so much more since then!

After my MSc graduation, I moved back to my hometown, Dhaka, Bangladesh for a few months, and then moved to Sydney, Australia. I will confess that even though I had been living away from home for a while, I found my move to Sydney far more daunting than studying abroad in the UK. I went to Sheffield knowing I would continue to study and eventually find a social circle. At Sydney, it was transitioning into a new lifestyle altogether – not to mention getting used to Christmas in peak summer. I am currently working at National Australia Bank, and consider myself lucky to be part of an amazing team and work environment that motivates you to achieve your best. I plan to stay at NAB for a while as I am still adjusting to corporate life in Australia, and I wish to be able to take some time to make a definitive decision on where I should go next.

For Sheffield, the thing I miss most is the late night kebab takeaway (a practice I had perfected in Dhaka), usually when returning home from the IC.  I really wish I could have told you it was something more exciting, but I suppose Sheffield truly lived up to its reputation of being home away from home!

Chemical Engineering: 3 Students: 0

The biggest defeat in life is when you’re defeated by your own expectations...

After having an amazing first year studying Chemical Engineering, I was super excited to come back to university after my summer break only to find that it wasn’t even remotely close to what I had expected. All of last year I kept hearing seniors say that second year was the toughest year on the degree and slowly by slowly I too began to believe that. From the first day itself, 2^nd year made me live through things I had never imagined.

Now, I know you’re all expecting a tale of misery and torture that students often love to empathize with but my story is way different. My expectation of the course being tormenting was blown right out of the window when the course gave me 3 of the best experiences an engineering student could experience.

    1. Guest Lecturers from the industry.

We have all imagined ourselves having intelligent conversations with experts at some point in our future. However, for a 2^nd year Chemical Engineering Student at the University of Sheffield this is a dream that comes true so quickly. As part of some modules such as particle science, we had the opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge from industrial experts like the lead researcher from Nestle and Astra-Zeneca. As an added incentive, we got insight into some of the projects and research that they and their representative companies were working on. Be it zero-water consuming process plants in Mexico or innovation and design into producing machines that provide the correct consistency and temperature of baby food. The guest lecturers introduce a new style of teaching and relieve us from the monotony of having the same lecturer week-in-week-out.

    2. Joining the Sheffield Engineering Leadership Academy.

SELA is a prestigious extra-curricular program that runs for two years alongside your course. This program is focused on bridging the gap in the engineering industry by equipping the future engineers with skills and resources. Entry to this program is highly competitive and thanks to the various team work challenges and soft skills that I acquired in year 1 of my course, I was able to get into the program alongside 19 other individuals from various engineering disciplines.

    3. Extensive career planning sessions.

An ancient saying says, ‘The early bird catches the worm.’ Here, at TUoS, not only do they wake you up early (all pun intended) but also they ensure to instill in you all the skills you need to sore high up in the skies of your success. As a second year student, I am constantly engaged in one-on-one sessions for careers development with my personal tutor. In addition, we had the opportunity to get advice from individuals from the careers service department and have them review and assess our cv’s.

If that was not enough, we have a dedicated careers advisor who sends in emails for intership and placement opportunities. Also, we get to attend several networking events with industrial experts and alumni that are able to then give us more insights into our choosen fields. Basically, it is like a real life version of LinkedIn isn’t it?

It’s been 9 weeks into my 1^st semester and even though I sometimes feel stressed about deadlines and my future as a whole. I know for a fact that my department has got my back and they are more than willing to go the extra mile in the name of my future.

The biggest defeat in life is when you’re defeated by your own expectations... So, in as much as I had expected to be defeated by the intensity of 2^nd year, all I failed at was my expectation; which in my view is one of the best defeats ever. 

From Sheffield to Sydney

By IEA Alumni Salina Jantarang

Hello! I’m Salina and I have graduated from the University of Sheffield in July 2015 with first honours in MEng Chemical Engineering. As an alumnus and former IEA, I am excited to share with you about my experience at Sheffield and the move to Sydney, Australia. I have moved to Sydney for almost two months now and here is my story.

I started my degree in MEng Chemical Engineering at the University of Sheffield in September 2011. Prior to starting university in England, I have completed my high school education in Thailand in an American system international school, including spending my junior year as an exchange student in the States.

My four years in Sheffield has turned out to be an incredible experience and is definitely one of the best experiences in my life. The student support, both for academic and pastoral, was always present and I was always assured that there is someone to speak to if there was any problem. It has provided me with opportunities to take part in different activities such as the IEA and Women in Engineering. The studies done at the University have built a strong foundation and taught me skills, which I have found to be invaluable.

During my time in Sheffield, I have worked as an industrial trainee at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Melbourne, Australia, during summer break after Year 2, and was a practicum exchange student at the University of New South Wales in Sydney during the summer break after Year 3.

I have a lot of memorable moments in Sheffield – both in social and academics. Unlike most students, I chose to live in university accommodation throughout my four years. Yes, you have read that right. I have lived in Endcliffe for four years and I loved it. I had different flat mates every year and each year was a different experience. I was fortunate to be (and currently is) close to most of my flat mates and we have done many things together from going to the Christmas market in Manchester, cheering my cheerleader-flat mate at a Varsity game, gossiping until early morning, and of course, baking lots of cookies. Nowadays, whenever we catch-up, a lot of conversations start with, ‘Remember that time we…’.

Of course, I had wonderful experiences with my studies in the Department too. I mean, my Year 3 design project was on chocolate manufacture. How awesome is that? My final year research project was incredible and I have learned a lot from it. It was on carbon dioxide utilisation, specifically in using it to make polymer. I had an incredible experience and it was the reason why I wanted to work on carbon dioxide utilisation in my further studies.

Moving forward, my final year was the time I had to consider what I was going to do after graduation. From the beginning of my degree, I knew that I wanted to continue with further studies upon graduation. Also, from having good experiences with previous research projects, I have decided to continue with PhD studies.

Graduation reception at the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Sheffield. Picture credits to my friend, Amirul Rudy.

After completing my final year, I lodged an application to the University of New South Wales for PhD studies. The application process and contact with my supervisor went by smoothly, and then all I could do was wait for the scholarship outcome. After months of waiting, I was fortunate to be offered a scholarship. In addition to applying for postgraduate studies after graduation, I also had to study for my engineering license exam, a requirement in Thailand. After months of revising almost everything I've learned throughout the four years of my degree, I am happy to have passed it and am now an associate engineer in Thailand.

Moving to another country is always exciting and nerve-wrecking, even though it’s a city I've lived before. Fortunately, I am living in a college with excellent support system and an energetic environment. I am also lucky to have family friends living here and it’s lovely to be able to go to north Sydney for a visit.

The project itself is under the same research group that I have completed my practicum exchange in and I had very much look forward to be back. It is quite challenging in moving on to a new project and there is a lot to learn. It is definitely a fulfilling learning process and is something I look forward to understand more in the next couple of years.  The research group have been welcoming and I have learned a lot over the past 2 months from my supervisors and other PhD students. And for that, I am truly grateful.

Last, I hope you enjoy your time in Sheffield and make the most out of it. If you are thinking about applying to the University of Sheffield, I encourage you to do so. I myself can’t wait to visit Sheffield – soon! 

The Ghost of Western Bank Library

Photo credits

On the night of 2^nd March 2016 at precisely 11:47 p.m. a terrifying warning surrounded the silent dark room on the 4^th floor of the Western Bank Library. ‘Leave because if you don’t the WBL ghost will haunt you for the rest of the night,’ resonated throughout the space.

Sometime in mid-November 2015, I came across a job opportunity – little did I know that this would turn out to be a chapter of my university life that I would never dare to forget. ‘Naïve’ as I was, I applied for the post and then successfully went through an hour long interview to land my first job as the facilities assistant at the Western Bank Library. The timings worked well with my university schedule as I had to work later in the evenings rather than to compromise my study time.

On a Friday afternoon, I met with my supervisor who first asked me if I would like some tea. I politely declined because I had never tasted tea in my life – yes shocker of the year! He then explained to me the role and suggested I come for some observation sessions before I can undertake the role by myself. Part of the job included locking up the facility after ensuring that all library users had vacated the premises. That meant I was going to be the only person lingering around the empty library in darkness once I switched off the main lights.

I had never used the facilities at the WBL – after all who would want to leave The Diamond anyway? On my first day, like any other good new employee would, I showed up almost 30 minutes earlier. I met up with another senior from whom I was to take over the shift when time came. Again, the first thing he asked me was if I would like some tea. We chatted for a while until Chris, the senior I was supposed to ‘shadow’ for the evening, showed up. The first question he too asked me was – yes, you guessed it right – ‘Would you like some tea.’ Clearly, the British love for tea is as real as it can get.

Once he had emptied his hot cup of tea we got to business. He took me around for a quick tour of the facilities. For those who say the Mapping building is the mother of maze buildings, I’d like to say I just met her favourite son. The WBL is filled with 5 floors of endless racks and shelves of books. While walking through the second floor I momentarily recalled the scene from the famous Harry Potter series where the trio walked through the Hall of Prophecy. The library has everything – from Japanese newspapers from the 1980s to books on modern technology. It is like a catalogue of knowledge that simply awaits being read.

Photo credits

One of the best parts about the University of Sheffield is that here the students and locals integrate into each other’s lives so effortlessly and the WBL is it best example to give. The library is open to both the university students and the locals. In fact, many a times, you can find the students having a nice chat with the locals in the lounge area.

Anyway getting back to my story…

Before I knew it, all the ‘chilling’ was over and it was time to start the hour long routine that ensured the safety of the premises and more importantly, the precious books it has beheld for all these years. We jumped floor to floor in a rather complex mechanism; the details of which I will spare you. After ringing the last alarm at 11:45, we made way to the fourth floor; the most popular floor amongst students. Surprisingly though, it was as empty as my wallet before pay day. We had just finished closing the curtains and switching off the lights and were making way towards the central door when my eyes caught a glimpse of something strange.

Within a split second, everything we had done in the past hour quickly flashed through my mind and I also did a quick mental check to ensure that no one was missed out while vacating. Then a sudden alarming sentence rang in my mind as my eyes moved left to right reading every word that I saw in front of me in the dim light coming from the hallway.

‘Before you leave, shout into the room to ensure that no one is left back,’ were the instructions my eye had just caught onto from the lock up procedure written on the paper I was handed earlier that night. I immediately turned back rolling my eyes.

‘Leave because if you don’t the WBL ghost will haunt you for the rest of the night,’ I shouted sarcastically into the pitch black void. Chris who was quietly observing me since I had made a sudden stop while exiting the room burst into laughter and commented on how hysterical I was.

I know this is such an anticlimax for all you thriller lovers. However, the point of this story was not to waste your time but to rather share yet another amazing chapter of my university life. Here at Sheffield, all that I could ask for, except for the cold weather to disappear, is being served right into my plate. I wanted a job that fitted around my university schedule and to work with some fun loving individuals. All my needs were matched exactly thanks to the array of services offered by the university. Further, my supervisors and the people I work with are warm – just like their tea – and welcoming. I didn’t need to worry a single bit about how I would manage the role because I received first hand on-the-job training from experienced peers. Lastly, the job is within the campus which makes it more credible and my safety is kept at the top of the priorities with the women night safety bus that drops me right at my door step at 0030 when my shift gets over.

Now, if you ever happen to come to Sheffield or to come across this ‘big fat’ rumor about the ghost that haunts the WBL you know how it started – then again, who knows?

Meet our International Engineering Ambassador: Hemanshi Galaiya

I AM INTERNATIONAL!!

Born in Kenya; Indian by ethnicity; British by curriculum; and International by choice. Hi, I am Hemanshi Galaiya and I am an International Engineering Ambassador.

19 years ago I embarked on a journey called life. I was born in an Indian family in the exotic country of Kenya; the land of the Masaai’s and yet the home to over 100 different ethnic groups. It is one of the fastest growing nations in the world and yet is world renowned for its wildlife. The land famous for its world class athletes and yet the nation that gave Simba, Rafiki, Timon and Pumba to the world. The land where the people are bound to their soils and yet the place where we have an anti-gravity point.  The country that boosts the world with their daily tea and coffee needs and yet the country where the best meal is home cooked ugali and sukumawiki. Kenya as our national airlines claims is truly ‘the pride of Africa’.

While living in Kenya I was still raised to acknowledge, appreciate and stay true to my roots back in India. Being a hard core Gujarati, I am a total foodie and as the entire India claims, we have both the sweetest language and the sweetest food. My education history on the other hand was always associated with the British Curriculum and at the end of my A-levels, I chose to embark on a different journey; I opted to do Chemical Engineering at the University of Sheffield – a city 10812 km away from my homeland.

One of the first questions people ask me is why I chose this particular career. I read somewhere that a Chemical Engineer is an individual who knows enough Chemistry to confuse a Mechanic; enough mechanics to confuse a Chemist and enough Mathematics to confuse himself. 

Now, I don’t mean to prude about my fantasy for complexity – in as much as it is true. The course to me is a straight forward approach to unlocking a lifetime full of opportunities to acquire knowledge of various kinds. It may sound challenging – which it by the way is – but at the same time it is an experience filled with zeal and zest. I believe that chemical engineers are a bridge between the dreams and the realities. When someone comes up with a micro scale idea it becomes our job to turn it into a macro scale reality; and who doesn’t like to play fairy God mother? 

The next big question is why I chose Sheffield and in particular the university of Sheffield. I can sum up my decision in 3 words – quality, diversity and adventure. UOS is a hub for quality education - what more could you I ask for when my degree would be IChemi certified and world reckoned for being top notch. To add to that, Sheffield proudly boasts to be the host to students from all over the world. Each day I get the chance to interact with a person from a different part of the world and each time I learn something new about cultures, cities and beliefs across the globe. This has proven to be one of the best features of my university life as it is building me into both a better intellectual and global citizen. Lastly, there is no way one can miss out on all the adventure that UOS has to offer. 

There is something for everyone; from nature trails and hiking in the peak district ...

... to parties and endless activities in and around the university - Sheffield has it all. 

All in all, I would like to say that I am still somewhere in the middle of ‘the journey called life’ and University of Sheffield is proving to be the most enthralling chapter so far. 

Images taken from www.chemicalprocess.com

Meet Our IEA Alumni: Salina Jantarang

Department: Chemical and Biological Engineering

Course: MEng Chemical Engineering

Nationality: Thailand

I have completed my high school education in Thailand before coming to the University of Sheffield to study chemical engineering. Entering university was an experience that has a major impact in my life. It was a huge adjustment for me as I come from an American education system. Living in England was a challenge at first as it took some time to adapt to the environment and culture. However, adjustments have been so much easier as I have met many incredible people here.

Choosing a university where you will spend the next few years of your life is a pretty difficult decision to make. However, I hope that you will consider Sheffield University as one of your choices. It was a difficult decision for me to choose where I wanted to attend university. I knew I wanted to study chemical engineering because I liked to study mathematics and chemistry in high school. In addition, the field also has many career opportunities in a wide range of industries. After doing research online and attending university fairs, I decided to apply to Sheffield University as it has a high ranking and I wanted to attend a university with high quality.

Was I scared before coming here? YES! I did not know what to expect or how the universities here are. Although I have spent a year abroad during my junior year (Grade 11) in America as an exchange student, I still had doubts about attending university in another country. However, after coming here, I realized that it wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be. Advice that I would give to students who are choosing their major now is to pick a subject that they like and consider other factors and skills needed to achieve their goals and the difficulty of finding a job in the future.

I am so glad that I have chosen and got accepted to study here. The studies here are challenging, which is a great motivation! Lecturers are informative and always willing to help. Sheffield University also has great facilities such as Information Commons, which is a library that opens 24/7. In the first few weeks, we were placed in groups and did projects together which was fun since I got to know more people. We also had to do a project with engineering students from other departments. The experience was educational and memorable as we were able to share ideas and learn from one another.

The city of Sheffield is really lovely and I feel safe living here. There are many activities to do in the city. I love to go see exhibitions at the museums whenever I have time. There are also events that are held in the city like the Christmas Market and Magical Christmas at the Botanical Garden.

I have decided to become one of the International Engineering Ambassadors because I want to meet more people and to widen my perspective. If you have any questions that I can help with, just let me know! That’s it about me.

Hope to see you in Sheffield!

Meet our International Engineering Ambassadors: Dami

Name: Dami

Department: Engineering

Course: BEng Chemical and Biological Engineering

Nationality: Nigerian

What was your favourite subject in school?

I enjoyed maths and chemistry.

How did you decide what degree course to take?

I have a thing for problem solving. Initially I was debating on either forensic chemistry, mathematics or chemistry. While I was researching these 3 degree programs, I came across chemical engineering. I was excited as it involves both maths and chemistry.

What advice would you give to people about to choose a university course?

Do lots of research, there are many degrees out there. Make sure it is along the line of your interest because you might get frustrated sometimes; your interest will make you stay enthusiastic.

What inspired you/Who inspired you to follow this route?

The continuous study of both maths and chemistry through this route.

What do you particularly enjoy and why?

I enjoyed the global engineering challenge week. It was like experiencing a glimpse of a life of an engineer. I was put in a group and given a life situation in order to find a solution. Also, it is an opportunity to meet new friends in other engineering discipline.

Best job/most fun/most fulfilling/challenges.

So far, my favourite job would be conducting accommodation tours. I enjoy doing this as I get to interact with prospective students; I discover interesting things about people while doing this. Also, the pay is motivating...haha!

How is studying your subject or methods of learning different at university than at school?

There are less teaching hours at university compared to school. I attend lab sessions weekly and reports must be submitted within a week prior to the day of the lab session. I observe more self-study at university compared to school.

What are your plans for the future/dreams/goals?

At the moment, I am considering either working in a food, pharmaceutical or oil and gas industry. Hopefully, I will own a small scale oil and gas company in my home country. I plan to go on to masters degree after my graduation.

What do you like to do when you are not working on your degree?

I love volunteering in a young people’s environment. I am a huge fan of sci-fi serial movies. I recently took up swimming classes and gym sessions.

Meet our International Engineering Ambassadors: Oluchi Emenike

Name: Oluchi Emenike

Department: Chemical Engineering

Course: MEng Chemical Engineering

Nationality: Nigerian

I am Oluchi Emenike and I am from Nigeria. I am currently in my second year at the University of Sheffield studying for a MEng in Chemical Engineering. I took the NCUK International Foundation Year programme in Engineering at Oxbridge Tutorial College in 2013. This was after I had successfully completed the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination and Cambridge GCE O’ level in 2012.

The University of Sheffield ranks 5^th in the country for Chemical Engineering in the Guardian University guide 2015 and the research facility in the Chemical and Biological department is one of the best in the country. A degree and technical knowledge from a university with such a wonderful reputation would be a step in achieving my plans of becoming a part of the team that will revolutionize my nation’s industry and also contribute to the success of the global chemical industry.

My subject provides the opportunity for a lot of group work as well as independent work. I enjoy this a lot as this helps prepare me for future work. With these, I can work effectively as an individual and also in a group to provide excellent results. It is also a platform for lots of interaction with different minds and learning different ways to tackle everyday engineering problems.

The teaching and study methods at Sheffield are one of a kind. For chemical engineering, we have normal lectures during which the lecturer teaches and provides certain information. We have to carry out a number of experiments whereby each one of them relates to topics taught by our lecturers. These experiments give a practical view of what has been taught to enhance understanding. There are also tutorial sessions which are one-to-one sessions with the lecturer during which you can obtain useful feedback. These diverse methods make learning and understanding easier.

Sheffield is a small, quiet and hilly city. In spite of this, there are a lot of activities to do in Sheffield: as a student, the Students' Union, being one of the best, provides a lot of activities, events and opportunities which make one want to remain at the University much longer. The cost of living in Sheffield is also very reasonable.

The Student Union, the Information Commons and the Diamond are why I would choose the University of Sheffield over any other university. They make a student’s life very bearable from social life, education, studying and even personal problems.

After my degree at Sheffield, I plan to get an MSc in Advanced Chemical Engineering or Food Safety Hygiene as I want to go into the food industry. I would also like to go on and work in the industry to become a Chartered Engineer.

To prospective students, procrastination is a student’s worst enemy and partner to failure. Avoid it! Study hard and also play as well. Enjoy every minute at the University, it is only one lifetime.

Intro Week at Sheffield

By Vaidehi Tembhekar

My emotions before the first week of University

It was time... Time to pack my bags, leave the hotel and get dropped off to my University accommodation in Endcliffe Village. As my mum and I got into the taxi, my heart was racing. I was going through numerous emotions at that point – excitement, nervousness, anxiety; those were just a few of them! My mind was exploded with all sorts of questions:

Will I like my flatmates? My course? The university? Sheffield? Will I be home-sick at any point? How will I cope with all of this being so far away from family?

We finally arrived at Endcliffe and I was so relieved. The greenery and the beautiful ambiance helped calm me down. I got the chance to see my room and I was delighted that my room was fairly decent sized and quite spacious. 

                                

The following text is to show you that you have no reason to be as nervous as I was! The first few weeks of university are a great experience! 

Intro week at Sheffield

After a long night, I headed to the Octagon Centre for the welcome talk. Seeing hundreds of confused and nervous faces like mine assured me that I was not the only one; everyone was as anxious as me.

Intro Week was a week of being bombarded with a bunch of leaflets and discounts for free dominos pizza in the SU! – Yes, that’s right, free Dominos pizza! :D The Activities and Sports fairs along with the Freshers' Fair were extremely busy occasions, offering such a great amount; from the Snowboarding Society, Women in Engineering society to the Baking society and Football.

Alongside that, everyone had the chance to take part in a huge range of activities arranged to get to know people in your department and those living around the same area as you (eg. Endcliffe/Ranmoor Village). One of my major problems that week was to choose the activities I wanted to be a part of each day - there were just way too many options! 

I realized that making new friends really wasn’t half as bad as I thought it would be. This is because everyone will be on the same boat as you and looking to make friends. So, you’ll have a warm welcome from everyone – whether it’s the freshers, students that will be your seniors or even the staff.

Orientation Week and Intro week allowed a smooth transition for me to place myself in this new city far away from home. This week was certainly one of the highlights of my time at Sheffield and I would strongly recommend each of you to make the most of Intro Week.

Meet Our International Engineering Ambassadors: Vaidehi

Name: Vaidehi Tembhekar

Course: BEng Chemical Engineering

Nationality: Kenyan






Let me start by telling you a little bit about myself. I am Vaidehi Tembhekar, currently in my first year of Chemical Engineering here at the University of Sheffield.

I’ve always been international! This is because originally, I’m Indian but I’ve lived my whole life in Kenya where I went to an international school which followed the British education system. Since childhood, travelling and learning about the various cultures and languages has been something I was incredibly passionate about.

However, travelling miles away from home for university isn’t quite the same. For some people this can be an extremely daunting thought - It was for me anyway! However, from my first week of university (intro week), I felt extremely welcomed and comfortable. It made me realize that I had no reason to be nervous or worried.

Time really does fly by! I am already close to finishing my first semester here and I can confidently say that the University of Sheffield is just the perfect place for me! It has fulfilled all my expectations, starting with the quality of education and extra-curricular opportunities to social life. The endless opportunities, amiable people and beautiful atmosphere of Sheffield still have me mesmerized and have definitely made my time here memorable.

Why the University of Sheffield?

According to me, choosing a university where you want to spend the next four years is one of the most important decisions you will make in life and making a decision can be very challenging. I believe university is the place that shapes you as an individual.  After a lot of research, I chose the University of Sheffield as it had a high ranking for my course. Additionally, the university has collaborated with a large number of well-reputed multi-national companies in the Chemical Engineering department, which I believe is beneficial when it comes to finding placements and graduate jobs.

Why chemical engineering?

Watching my father excel in his efforts to curb industrial pollution, I found myself intrigued by the opportunities available to engineers, including working towards an environmentally healthy future. It started when I learnt about a horrifying fact - Every 2〫 C rise in the Earthʼs temperature increases the sea level by 1m. If the temperature rises any further, the Maldives and numerous other cities in the Europe may be underwater. The applications of chemistry in the conservation of our planet, through innovative measures is something that is really important to me. I strongly feel that a degree in chemical engineering will enable me to contribute to solutions towards this and numerous other complex problems currently faced by the world.

Teaching and study methods at the University
The teaching method at university is completely different to high school. How you are taught largely depends on your course and level of study. However, university teaches you to be a more independent learner; it’s all about the effort you put into self-study. Here, a strong emphasis is placed on teaching you to apply the information in your daily life. The seminars and tutorials usually take place in smaller groups and are a better way to interact with your lecturer and raise any questions or doubts.

Advice I would give to prospective students

Most importantly, make sure you don’t let anyone influence your choice of course. This will be something you will be studying for the next few years of your life and it is extremely important that you really love what you’re studying.

Finally, a little bit about Sheffield

Sheffield is a lovely, vibrant city and, most importantly, caters for all types of students. Living expenses here are much lower compared to all the other cities and the public transport services are extremely well managed for those of you who prefer not to walk! Sheffield is known to be the greenest city. Consequently, there are a large number of parks and gardens to visit in order to spend some time relaxing. All in all, Sheffield is a great city to be living in as a student, you will never run out of things to do or places to visit here!