MEng Structural Engineering with Architectural Studies.

Here's a video from one of our alumni, Aatisha Gupta. A Civil and Structural Engineering graduate from the University of Sheffield is working as a Structural Engineer for Arup India Pvt. Ltd. based in Mumbai. 

Aatisha graduated in 2014 with a MEng Structural Engineering with Architectural Studies.

Meet Our IEA Alumni: Aatisha Gupta

Department: Civil and Structural Engineering

Course: Structural Engineering and Architecture

Nationality: Indian

What was your favourite subject at school?
Maths and Art.

How did you decide which degree course to take?
Seemed like an interesting combination of the two subjects I love the most.

What advice would you give to people about to choose a university course?
Look closer into the course and its structure rather than just its title. Dig deeper and you might just find something that’s more YOU!

What inspired you/Who inspired you to follow this route?
Following around the architect who helped renovate my house and play boss once in a while! My fascination with buildings and structures in general played a big role.

What do you particularly enjoy and why?
Being a part of several different societies and getting a chance to be in an organising committee for events. The student life is a once in a lifetime experience and being a part of societies makes you feel like you’re finally making a difference rather than simply being taught how things work.

Best job/most fun/most fulfilling/challenges?
Sheffield Volunteering one-off: We were asked to help paint a homeless shelter for children. After 6 hours of painting, sore arms and shoulders, the smile on the children’s faces was one of our most rewarding experiences.

How is studying your subject or methods of learning different at university than at school?
More room for asking questions. More of an interactive, cordial relationship with your professor rather than a master-student one.

What are your plans for the future/dreams/goals?
Be the next Santiago Calatrava… Or close enough!

What do you like to do when you are not working on your degree?
Playing Basketball, Swimming and giving a go at Give It A Go’s (You’ll hear more about it when you join Uni!).

Meet Our International Engineering Ambassador - Odulaja Oluwatobi

Course: Civil Engineering with a Year in Industry

Nationality: Nigerian

Hi guys. My name is Oluwatobi Odulaja but I’m called Tobi for short, Tobi with an i, not a y. I’m a semi-tall black boy, coming from a west African country known as Nigeria - where I was born and raised all my life. I represent the Yoruba tribe, famous for our beautiful women, exotic cuisine’s and extravagant dressing.

About a year ago, the University of Sheffield seemed like a myth to me, as I was still writing my personal statement and anticipating predicted grades at that time. Still looking for schools in the UK, I came across the University of Sheffield and all it entailed for a young enthusiastic learner as myself. The university caught my interest after researching and it became my first choice almost immediately.

I am currently a first year undergraduate student studying Civil Engineering in this fancy University. Civil Engineering was almost well oriented in me because my father was one himself and as my eldest brother is an architect. I grew up visiting sites and witnessing building constructions. From this, the passion and the drive grew in me to pursue this line of study. Some few movies I watched made me want to consider other courses, like how Iron Man is said to be a mechanical engineer and other famous comic characters. Despite all the distractions, my goals remained clear to me.

So far, studying this course has been nothing short of exciting and challenging, from the first confusion that you get in Labs to the euphoria felt when the understanding arrives. Many fun things have been done in my course this year, but my personal best was designing a bridge made from foam, thin sheets of ply wood, dowel and strings. This gave the typical dilemma that engineers  feel when compromises must occur. What is required is critical thinking for design sessions and initiatives to cut costs whilst still carrying out the task at hand.

I would urge anyone who considering a university to study Civil engineering, to choose the University of Sheffield. Coming here, I did not know what to expect or the kind of people I would meet, but on arrival the atmosphere was rather blissful. The people here are so friendly that at first it felt like an illusion to me. My advice to someone coming her from any country outside the UK, who may be worried about feeling homesick or anything, don’t worry - Sheffield has people from everywhere. Extra-curricular activities, sports and societies are also wonderful ways of meeting new people and having fun.

My advice for anyone would include the following: stay focused, remember why you came here; try your best to communicate with people, you will always need help in some way; never ever be shy to ask questions, most importantly, try to enjoy it, it’s not forever, make lots of memories.

That’s all I’ve got for now. Good luck if you’re applying to university and if you pick the University of Sheffield, shout out to you! You will not regret it!    

Summer Internship Experience in Malaysia by Lucas L

I spent the summer of 2016 on the forefronts of development in the Malaysian construction industry, as I practiced on a futuristic tool that has revolutionized global construction. This is my story …

Dawn…

A tranquil ambiance blanketed the massive 34-acre site, sitting at the edge of Peninsular Malaysia’s administrative capital, Putrajaya. Early birds arriving on site enjoyed the cool morning climate, coupled with the scent of fresh earth and concrete around the bare land. Welcoming workers entering the site was a giant sign naming the “Parcel F” site while banners of Sunway Construction fluttered proudly along the perimeter fence.

30 minutes later…

The silence was replaced with blaring sirens, signaling the start of the workday. Trucks, rollers, and bulldozers roared to life; towering cranes recovered from their dormant states, controlled by their puppeteers. Site engineers took their places around the 10-office-block site, skillfully directing workers in mending steel and casting concrete. I, had the privilege of being assigned to the company’s pioneering Building Information Modeling (BIM) department. I headed to the satellite office at the edge of the site, ready to start my day as an intern BIM engineer.

Just for your information, BIM was a budding piece of tech in the historical construction industry. The system utilizes a series of computer programs to generate an accurate digital representation of a structure, allowing also the effective management and optimization  of various aspects throughout the construction supply line from design, coordination, and delivery.

The Malaysian construction industry had only begun to embrace this newfangled system. Design works are typically conducted using conventional methods (sketches, 2D CAD, human calculations etc). Sunway Construction, being an innovative player within the local construction industry, had recently begun to integrate this technology recently into their supply line.  

Armed with a computer and a plethora of plans given by design consultants, my job comes in in the early stages of the BIM supply chain, in which I produce/amend structural and

architectural models. ‘Accuracy’ and ‘buildability', are the two words that summarize the critical aspects of my job. An accurate representation of the actual structures was vital as the models will be used for analysis throughout the production line. In order to deliver a high level of  accuracy, I had to dig through a trove of design plans and detailed drawings. A ‘buildable’ structure was ensured through a critical analysis of the model, i.e. there was a need to be able to identify and report design failures or discrepancies, between the design detail of all trades as the models are being made (architecture, structural, mechanical and electrical) to ensure the structure could be delivered smoothly on site.

The true effectiveness of BIM becomes apparent down the supply chain. Utilizing the delivered models, experienced engineers will then conduct further checks such as clashes with services, plan construction phases and conduct precise estimates of material volumes required for construction. The final product will then be a model that integrates the complete set of information of the true structure being built. From then on, plans are shipped out to site engineers for casting.

The main advantage of my industrial experience was witnessing the deviation of the engineering field from the conventional tedious calculations and field labour to a more effective technocentric path. I have to admit that the emphasis placed on technological fluency at the University in structuring their course, runs parallel to industrial requirements, allowing me a quick transition into my placement role. Just writing this article brings back memories of  recent  MATLAB programming coursework, which prompted students to figure out the most effective algorithm to analyze parameters and determine the most effective method of training a baseball player (slightly unorthodox for civil engineers, but a fun topic nonetheless). The principles of optimization using technology highlighted by such coursework from the underlying principles of which BIM is established for.

At the end of the 12 weeks, my industrial training program came to an end and so did a chapter of my student life. But with this experience, I now possess an insight which will be helpful in my preparation for the future as the global construction industry treads down this technocentric path.

Meet our International Engineering Ambassador: Muhammad Aqil bin Zainudin

Name                    : Muhammad Aqil bin Zainudin

Course                  : Civil and Structural Engineering (MEng)

Nationality             : Malaysian

Who am I?

                Name, done. Nationality, done (you can guess where I am from, it’s Malaysia). If you are still reading seems that you are interested in me and you wanted to know more. Heads up, I am a 20 years old proud married man, yes you heard me right. I’m married to my lovely wife. So you can expect me to be very matured and visionary. ‘Strive forward and conquer all’ is always my motto but fret not, I am not a dictator nor a selfish person. Behind all that, I love to make friends, oh my, did I just use the word love. Not a typo my friend. Meeting new people, making acquaintances and forming relationships are the priorities in my life because I believe connection is one of the most important thing in the world to gain success. Furthermore, I am a hard-core coffee lover so if you want to be my friend, grab a coffee or else. Kidding. And last but not least, I am a sport freak. How freak? Let’s say I can name the sports I didn’t play. I would say sports make everyone healthy and fit, yes I can’t deny that fact but I treat sports as something more meaningful, a network building platform which comes back to my nature, friends making machine.

Why UK and University of Sheffield specifically?

                Other than being the land of beautiful culture and history, I am a Potter fan. Flying here has always been my dream since I was a kid. And Sheffield? I can say that the living cost here is cheap, in fact the cheapest in UK according to a student budget website, look it up. Not just that, for you who hates the crowded hectic city life, do come here. The lifestyle is very calm and relax, you could enjoy the city centre without being shoved or pushed. But that does not mean the city is any less, top branded shops are here. I could sum up Sheffield is an ideal city for a simple guy like me, not too much or not too less. And the best part is the Peak District, a wonderful breath-taking view of the nature and it is just half an hour drive. Stressed out studying? Take a break and chill there.

                Here comes the serious business, my learning institution, THE UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD. As proud as its name, it is. Providing the best learning environment for all students is like a promise here. You won’t be left out and if you are, you are something wrong. The system here is very efficient, you have the online learning environment(MOLE) where you can easily access anything about your university, course, email and any related services here. It’s a balanced learning environment where coursework is meant for your future and super beneficial and the lecturers are friendly, knowledgeable and career life-equipped (means you can ask for career advice and CV improvement, they are great at it).

Why Civil and Structural Engineering?

                Civil and Structural Engineering is not as what people depicted, boring and not challenging as other engineering branches. Do you see the city that you loved and enjoyed so much? The tall buildings that make your nation proud? Or even the water coming from your shower pipes? It will be my responsibility one day. You control the city development and where does the majority population lived in? Exactly, the city. Means you have the power to shape the society and not just that, the environment counts on you too. Companies need you, people need you, everyone needs you. I am in the first year and I am learning Autodesk Revit, Matlab and constructing bridges, I could tell you it’s superbly interesting and challenging in a good way. You are literally enhancing your life skill technically and socially. Moreover, you are expected to work in a group, not just between your course mate, but soon later in life, you will be working along architects, mechanical engineers, land tenure etc. I would say civil and structural engineering is an ideal course (just like me ;) ) where it will mould you into a holistic person in the future.

Some Piece of Advice?

                Do come to the University of Sheffield and enrol in any of your desired engineering subject. It will guide you automatically. Isn’t that so simple. I can guarantee it. Make your steps here and just follow the great tides of the learning experiences and you will be landed on a luxurious life island. Any hesitation contacts us, that is why we are called the Ambassador. Give us jobs, we love it.

Civil and Structural Engineering Internship

My three month vacation this year was not at all like any other I have ever had before. Usually when I have vacation from school, it means you stay home and watch a lot of movies, catch up on all the shows that you've missed during the year. But this year, although I had planned for the same, I was greeted by something very different.

My name is Balgovind Ranjith, a second year student of The University of Sheffield studying Bachelors in Civil and Structural Engineering. Click on my name to view my profile! After witnessing a lot of my seniors going around town working for the university or businesses in the city, and hearing of what they've done over their vacations, I had decided that an internship was best for me to gain a sort of real world experience is what I need to learn and increase my employability. I had worked up an opportunity to work at a construction site through my dad's contacts (my dad who conveniently works in the same field as I study!).

Bouygues Construction, a French contracting firm, starting their first construction project in India and I was part of it for a month! There wasn't a lot that the firm could allow me to do as an intern, but I still got to do odd jobs here and there. The first week, I found a database that they were using that could be refined. I asked for it, and I got the work. Using excel skills that most students nowadays would have and a lot of 'Googling', I transformed that database into a program effortlessly does exactly what you want. Other than that, I got the opportunity to work shadow a site engineer, follow him down into raft excavations to witness how work is done there, what it means to be a site engineer, their responsibilities and difficulties. Towards the latter half of my month there, I was responsible in handling a steel bar fabrication yard! I was kept in charge of a team of fabricators to make sure the work being done was correct, to address any issues in the yard and most importantly, to make sure work was being at all!

After a month there, to get a feel of both halves of my structural engineering world, I worked in a consulting firm. Buro Happold, a consulting firm based in Bath with an office in Mumbai. The engineers after being incredibly surprised of all the content that I've already learnt in my first year in Sheffield, gave me a whole building to design. Although that may seem daunting to a first year engineering student, it honestly wasn't. The engineers there were incredibly friendly, and appreciated me going there to learn. They pointed me in the right directions as long as I was willing to google the rest. In the end of a month working there, I completed the design of 23 storied building, including earthquake design and wind loads (which are really complicated stuff! Just saying). Also, a little trivia I found out while working there, Buro Happold was the firm that designed the structures of the Winter Gardens in Sheffield and also played a role in renovating the infrastructure in Endcliffe and Ranmoor. I can't tell you why exactly, but I got very excited when I found that out.

Overall, the decision taken to work over my vacations was one of the best in my life. I've learned an incredibly vast amount over the short duration of just two months. Content that would put me at an advantage during my course and even later on. The other benefits of this being that in the short term, I didn't waste my vacation away and in the long term this would be a significant boost to my career. An internship is something I would recommend to any ambitious student, be it work you get through your connections or by applying formally, work in Sheffield or at home. It will be worth it.

Meet our International Engineering Ambassador: Adrien Gallet

Name: Adrien Gallet

Nationality: French/German

Department: Civil and Structural Engineering

Course: MEng Civil Engineering with a Year in Industry

Where’re you from?
Probably one of the most difficult questions to answer really, and it generally goes something like this. My mom is French, my father is German, though my great-grandparents came partially from Spain, France, Germany and what is today Poland. I was born in Paris, grew up in Munich, and lived five years in Shanghai. And now I'm in Sheffield! So, I guess I'm from Europe?

Why the University of Sheffield?
I could probably write an essay on this, but I will summarize it for you. To begin with, the university belongs to one of the top 100 in the world, has one of the highest student satisfaction records in the country, and boasts the best student union for eight years running in the UK. We've got the tallest university building as well (the Arts Tower with its paternosters), the university holds a Guinness Book record, we have an amazing campus that is constantly being improved upon and the 81-million pound Diamond. Speaking of which, the Diamond is a fantastic study and learning space altogether: it’s open 24/7, it is filled with silent study rooms and two separate libraries, it has world-class facilities ranging from 3D printers to flight simulators and a cable-stayed bridge. I should probably stop, but you get the idea: it’s an amazing university.

Why Civil and Structural Engineering at Sheffield?
This department is nothing short of excellence. We belong to one of the top 50 Civil and Structural Engineering department in the world (just think about that), we've got fantastic lecturers and tutorial leaders from all over the world (including England, Scotland, Australia, Holland, Germany, France, Iran, the list goes on). The last Research Excellence framework ranked us amongst the best five universities in the UK for civil and structural engineering in 2014, and there are millions of opportunities to engage with engineering at the university (Engineers without borders, Global Engineering Challenge week, Spaghetti Bridge competition, Sheffield Undergraduate Research Experience). To top it all off, you also get your own personal tutor in the first year, which is great in case you ever have any kinds of questions.

What’s Sheffield like as a city?
I've been quite a bit around in the world, and I was fortunate enough to get to see a good number of cities. And I can tell you with confidence that Sheffield ranks amongst some of the best cities I got to live in, especially as a student. Sheffield is a great city to live in in terms of living costs, it has plenty of parks (Weston Park is about 78 seconds away from the student union for example), it’s safe, it’s clean, and people are all extremely nice. The only thing one could complain about is perhaps the weather, because it gets windy and rainy just like anywhere else in the UK! But at least that gives you the motivation to study inside =)

Hobbies Sports. Any really, but I play table tennis, touch rugby and fencing, and I love to hike in the Peak District. Also just joining societies is loads of fun; the investment, poetry and chess societies have so far caught my interest. And regardless of who you are, I can tell you with absolute certainty that you will find a society (correction societies!) that will suit your interest.

Meet our International Engineering Ambassador: Balgovind Ranjith

Name: Balgovind Ranjith

Department: Civil and Structural Engineering

Course: BEng Civil and Structural Engineering with a year in industry

Where I’m from

I'm originally from Kerala, a beautiful slice of land on the western coast of India, lined with white beaches and coconut trees. And like the stereotypical Malayalee (people who come from Kerala), I’ve lived in the Middle East as well. I was raised in Dubai and lived there for the majority of my life. Three years back I moved to Mumbai, a city that represents the true spirit of India, a city I didn’t even realise how fast I fell in love with.

Favourite subject in school

Easily maths. I love logical thinking and however nerdy you may find this, I love that thrill you get when you get a hard maths question correct after working through pages of numbers.

Deciding what degree course to take

Being raised in Dubai, an ever changing city with new, striking buildings popping up by the day. For a long time, I knew I wanted to be related in some way in making these mega structures. My father is a structural engineer and his whole stream seems so interesting to me, especially when he describes all the projects he has done and the innovations in engineering that has been made to allow crazy structures like the ones in Dubai. This led me to choose Civil engineering as my bachelor’s degree.

Why I chose the University of Sheffield

I chose The University of Sheffield after months of research on the internet and visiting countless numbers of university fairs. It is among the top 10 universities in the UK for Civil Engineering. What persuaded me even more was the merit scholarship I received from the British Council for my studies at the university.

What I like about Sheffield

Although I haven’t been in Sheffield for too long, I really have come to love this city. Maybe it is how interesting my course is, or maybe it is how awesome the friends I have made here are. My ongoing project now is to build a model bridge in the project lab space with wood, paper, string and foam and analyse how this bridge works (or doesn’t). For this project we get to use CAM tools like laser cutters, 3D printers and many other machinery. It becomes a lot more interesting to learn when you have the ability to make structures and do things by hand rather than watch a video or read a textbook. Another part that I love about my choice of coming to The University of Sheffield is The Diamond, that building is just an absolute beauty.

Hobbies

I like food! I don’t think that’s a hobby but I really do like food. Since I started living by myself here, I’ve had the chance to learn many more recipes and try new things out (most of which taste horrible). Apart from that I love drawing, painting, watching movies, TV shows, web designing and playing around with technology.

Meet our International Engineering Ambassadors: Yi Ci Tek

Name: Yi Ci Tek

Course: MEng Civil and Structural Engineering

Nationality: Malaysian

Hey! Since this is my first post on this blog, allow me to introduce myself a little. My name is Tek Yi Chyn and everyone can call me Tekky. Yeah, I’m an Asian as you all may expect earlier from my name. What doesn’t meet your expectation is that I am actually from Malaysia, a multiracial country consisting of mainly Malays, Chinese and Indians. The large diversity of ethnics in Malaysia enables me to understand people from different background and cultures, which is why I am proud to be a Malaysian. Before arriving in the UK, I studied A-levels in my home country. Fortunately, my result was good enough to be accepted into the University of Sheffield.

Alright, let us get back to our main topic! I am currently studying Civil and Structural Engineering in University of Sheffield which ranked as one of the top in the course’s ranking. Unlike other universities, the University of Sheffield provides an optional placement year for students before completing the undergraduate course. This motivates me to work hard in my studies as well as being active in extra-curricular activities in order to get a placement.  Getting a placement is not easy, however as you paid the price, what you will get in return is priceless.  By having the work experience from a placement year, it is said to be easier to secure a good job after graduating.

As the majority of people may have an impression that Engineering is basically all about science,  I would say this is only partially correct. In Civil Engineering, we study Mathematics, Mechanics, Geotechnical Engineering and Materials Engineering. Other than that, what interests me the most is the design modules in civil engineering course.  During my first semester in first year, I learned how to draw structures using AutoCAD. Initially, it was really difficult, but as you practice more, it becomes much easier and that made me very proud of myself. XD Besides drawing, we got to design bridges in a group. We drew the plan on a paper, constructed the bridge with provided materials and designed a poster to advertise our bridge. The experience was totally worthy and FUN!

To be honest, University of Sheffield wasn’t my first choice. However, I am still grateful that I am able to study in one of the greenest and happiest city in United Kingdom. As University of Sheffield is a city campus, it is rather convenient for students to practice their daily routine, not only attending classes but also getting groceries for survival! The Moor Market, Sainsbury, Iceland and Poundland are just a stone throw away from my current accommodation. Besides that, the Mappin Building (main building for the Faculty of Engineering ) is located near the West Street. For your information, West Street is one of the busiest street in Sheffield because you basically can get everything from there. Everyone loves it!

It is indeed a great opportunity to be able to study in one of the top university and happiest city in UK. I have nothing to conclude but to ask, “Who doesn’t like Sheffield? “

Meet our International Engineering Ambassadors: Sebina Kalawadwala

Name: Sebina Kalawadwala

Course: MEng Civil and Structural Engineering

Nationality: Indian

Hi, first of all I’ll start by telling you a bit about myself. I am Sebina Kalawadwala, a first year Civil Engineering student from Gujarat, India. I have completed my 12^th CBSE boards from Lancers Army School, Surat. I am passionate about sports, especially table tennis. A good stress reliever for me is listening to music or curling up in bed with a good book.

Now going to the most essential question, why I chose to study at the University of Sheffield and a more pressing one, what made me come here, hundreds of miles away from my home and family? Well to be honest the decision was not easy but I can tell you this, it is definitely worth it. I chose this University because I was looking for a very specific kind of course, i.e. MEng Civil and Structural Engineering, which is a 4 year integrated masters course. Not a lot of people know this but in the UK, as of now, there are only a handful of universities offering this course of which the University of Sheffield is the best. The University has a lot to offer in addition to their study programs, the Students’ Union has been voted, 4 times in a row, the best Students’ Union in the country. We have more than 300 societies and sports clubs - there is something for everyone here and if there isn't then they can start their own society.

What I love about my department?

The thing I love most is that here at the University it’s not all about theory; we are provided with real life hands-on practical experience. How? Let me give you an example. Through the study of Civil Engineering, everyone knows that one will go ahead in life to design and build bridges and other structures after gaining a deep understanding of the principles behind it, but would you expect a first year student to do the same? The answer will most definitely be no. Going ahead of the conventional thinking, we were asked to build a model bridge purely from our intuitions and qualitative judgment, excluding any sort of technical or mathematical calculation. Here we were given a brief which we had to strictly adhere to and, like a real life situation, we bought and sold materials, hence calculating the total cost of the bridge. Later we tested the bridge and, to avoid any penalties, we ensured that the latter was able to carry the required minimum load of 8kg.

Going through this exercise I am sure that I learnt a lot more than I ever could from any textbooks.  I am confident this exercise was just the tip of the iceberg - the department has a lot more to offer in the future. I am eagerly looking forward to my time here.

In my profile I could have gone on talking about numbers but personally I feel numbers are boring and you can never get a true sense of something from them, so instead I decided to write about one of my most cherished experiences and I hope it will give a feel of how studying at the University of Sheffield is.