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!

Meet Our IEA Alumni: Jordan D'Costa

Department: Aerospace

Course: BEng Aerospace Engineering

Nationality: Australian

What was your favourite subject at school?

Physics and Physical Education

How did you decide which degree course to take? 

Long before finishing school I wanted to be a pilot but later into my school career I realised I had the ability and interest to go beyond knowing just how to fly a plane. When browsing courses I came across aerospace engineering and there was no looking back. It allows me to satisfy both my abilities and interests at the same time.

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

Be sure to choose a subject you are passionate about. Remember you will be hearing about it five days a week for the next 3-4 years, so make sure it is something you really enjoy. If you can’t come to England to see the university for yourself, do as much research on the city in which the university is located and decide whether you like it. League tables do not say whether a university is good for YOU, so make don’t let them be the only information source to guide your choice of university and course.

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

My fascination with flight and love of exploring the world.

What do you particularly enjoy and why?

• I particularly enjoy case studies in most modules. They present students with situations they may come across in industry and allow us to apply our knowledge to solve these problems. They also allow you to appreciate the material you learn in class that may initially seem to serve no purpose.
• Our lecturers are involved with current industry research and are highly regarded in their respective industries. Each has his or her own teaching technique and everyone has a favourite lecturer for one reason or another.
• The International Engineering Ambassadors scheme is a great employment opportunity offered by the university. It gives international students the chance to work and also feel secure in the university environment and reach out from there.
• I only joined a society in my second year of study. I joined the Skate Society since I used to go skateboarding quite a lot when I was at school. It has been a great experience because I’ve met even more people I can share an interest with, learn new things from and keep fit with too.

Best job/most fun/most fulfilling/challenges.

During summer 2011, I was involved in the Union fundraising event Treasure Hunt Europe. This involved raising £300 for local charities and travelling around Europe by train for 5 days given only clues to cities where new clues were waiting to be found. It ended with a big party in Munich with all the treasure hunters. My team stayed a few days extra to explore some more of Europe. We visited Belgium, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands throughout the trip.

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

       If you had a good studying method at school, try your best to keep it up when you come to university. You can sit in a lecture and it will make sense, but you won’t retain the knowledge unless you do your own work on the topic. Lectures can be spotted throughout a day with big gaps of free time in between unlike full school days. Don’t waste these precious free hours; use them to work, especially if you have plans that don’t involve studying that night.

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

I would love any job in the aerospace industry. It would be fantastic to be part of a team that designs a brand new plane, helicopter, spacecraft or satellite. I hope that my job allows me to travel around the world too.

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

I’m part of the Sheffield Australian Rules Football Club known as Sheffield Thunder. Our season runs from March to August, playing against other cities such as Birmingham and Manchester. It is a great way to keep fit, meet new people, hangout with people from your own country and have fun. It isn’t connected to the university in any way so it’s a good way to get out of the university bubble you find yourself in. I also enjoy going out with friends because Sheffield has such a great night life.

Jordan's Profile

Name: Jordan D’Costa

Department: Aerospace

Course: BEng Aerospace Engineering

Year of Study: Second

Nationality: Australian

Favourite school subjects: Physics and Physical Education

Why I chose Aerospace Engineering: Always been fascinated by planes and all things related to aviation. Wanted to do something science related but not a science course. Aerospace was the perfect combination of these interests.

Favourite parts of my course: Doing case studies to get a feel for what kind of work real world aerospace engineers are subjected to. Our lecturers are involved in current research and are highly respected in their industries. Variety of modules including Mechanics, Electronics, Control and Materials along with Aerospace specific modules. 

University opportunities: During the summer of 2011, I went on a 5 day treasure hunt across Europe in a team with two friends against 10 or so other teams. This was run by the Union’s fund raising department which was such a great experience and I raised £300 for local charities. The university also offers plenty of schemes to get involved in promoting your subject area and can include paid opportunities.

Activities outside university: I play Australian Rules Football for the local Sheffield team. There are many things to do in this city and this is just one of them. I highly recommend getting involved with local groups of any nature as they are a great way make many new friends and escape the “university bubble”.

Please ask any questions you have in a comment below. I am the author for this blog, so if you have any questions about the site, you can ask me here. Thanks!