Meet Our IEA Alumni: Sa'ad Kamal-Deen

Department: Automatic Control and Systems Engineering

Nationality: Nigerian

How did you decide which degree course to take?

Right after secondary school I initially wanted to study medicine, but as soon as I began college I discovered biology wasn’t for me. I then researched several course in order to discover what I enjoyed doing. I found interest in learning about how different systems around us work, mainly electronic ones. I then focused my efforts on searching for leading universities that offer Systems Engineering and the University Of Sheffield turned out to be one of the best.     

Favourite Module

I expected my programming modules to be my worst. I feared so because I had little or no experience writing codes and everyone I asked about it said it was very difficult. But after I started university, I soon discovered it wasn't rocket science and like all my remaining modules, if I work hard enough I could do well. Now, any module involving programming is the best part of my course.

What do you enjoy the most about studying at the University of Sheffield?

I enjoy the Information Commons also known as the “I.C” among the students. It is a 24hours, 7days a week library where students go to read and have group meetings. Apart from the fact that it is always open another thing I like about the building is the atmosphere; it has every type imaginable, from quiet to noisy and even hidden areas if trying to avoid friends. It also has a cafeteria, so if you want to get your study on, you have no reason not to do so! 

What do you do enjoy doing in your free time?

 At Sheffield, you can never fall short of things to do because there is a society for everything you could be interested in. Personally I enjoy swimming, playing tennis and occasionally playing football with friends. My advice to new students is to take advantage of the freshers week to enjoy societies, that offer some of the most adrenaline packed activities they won't normally be involved in like mountain climbing or even salsa if that’s what gets your heart rushing.   

What useful advice would you give a student about to leave home to study in  Sheffield

●       Try to pack light. In the Sheffield there are major shopping centers and better still,  there are also local shops  that sell international and local products e.g. food.

●       Do your research before coming to the UK. Ensure you are familiar with things like the food and culture of Sheffield.

●       Ensure that you apply for a visa in good time so as to avoid missing key important information during the freshers week. You don’t want to miss that!

●        Write a checklist to ensure that on arrival students have all the required documents at immigration and during registration. Book your accommodation beforehand as well!

Security

Sheffield is one of the UK's safest cities but nevertheless, it is sensible to take precautions to avoid crimes and prevent accidents. In my two years in Sheffield I definitely have not had a negative incident at any time of the day. I doubt security would negatively affect your stay in Sheffield.

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

MEET OUR INTERNATIONAL ENGINEERING AMBASSADOR: ELSIE BADERINWA

My name Is Elsie Baderinwa and I’m a first year electrical and electronic engineering student. I’m from Nigeria, but I’ve been in England for a little over 2 years now because I was doing my A-levels in Brighton.  

What was your favourite subject at school?

I’ve always enjoyed maths and the sciences the most!

How did you decide which course to take?

Deciding which course to take was actually very hard for me. In fact when I applied to the university, it was for medicine. I was then offered a place for biomedical science, which I knew I didn’t want to do. So it was a very stressful an confusing period for me. But I’ve always really enjoyed maths so I KNEW I definitely wanted to do some sort of engineering, but deciding which in particular, was the problem. I finally settled on electrical and electronic engineering after several- very long- conversations with my dad. And I can honestly say I’m very happy with the path I ended up choosing. :D

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

Think long and hard about it, and make sure it’s a field or subject you really enjoy, because even after university, you’re going to be doing it for a very long time.

What or who inspired you to follow this route?

My father actually was the one who supported me and gave me advice and as much information as he could. He is actually an electrical and electronic engineer as well, haha. 

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

The major difference is the complete independence. You have to decide for yourself to do the work and put the effort in because no one will put pressure on you to do it. It’s your decision to go to lectures, pay attention, ask questions, do your work and hand them in on time. But if you don’t, you’ll have to deal with the consequences on your own. 

Best job/ most fun/ most fulfilling/ changes

To be honest, what I find the most challenging so far, are the labs. Well at least initially. When I try to read the lab sheets beforehand, I usually don’t really understand anything and I get a bit overwhelmed, lol. But it’s okay, because once you actually get into the lab and start doing it, after a little while,  you begin to get into it and actually understand a bit more, what you’re doing. 

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

I’m a bit of a homebody, so I like to stay in and read a novel or watch some tv shows. But I also really enjoy being around people so I like to go out with friends. I really like to be active as well so playing a friendly game of rounder’s or basketball, just generally any sport that involves a bit of running around with friends  :D.

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.

Sheffield University at the British Council Education Exhibitions, Nigeria

The University of Sheffield has been attending the British Council Education Exhibitions in Nigeria this week.  It's been a busy start to the week in Lagos and we'll be heading over to Abuja for Thursday and Friday.

If you have any questions, please do ask! If you can't make it to the exhibitions, feel free ask anything in the comments section below :) And don't forget to follow the British Council Nigeria @BCNigeria on Twitter to keep up to date.