Outside the box
ENGINEERING brings into my mind pictures of massive structures, intricately assembled contraptions or complex artificial intelligence.
Other than the fame and economic benefits that make up the picture of engineering education at the University of Sheffield, there is crucial aspect that influences its students, one that has piqued my interest in the pursuit of engineering.
I recall the vivid memory of a lecture that took place barely a month into my studies. The lecture was held early in the morning at the university’s Diamond building and was conducted by chartered engineer and university teacher, Paul Hulbert, to an audience of more than 100 budding engineers.
A special message was delivered, in contrast to his usual lectures that centred on the theoretical aspects of design.
He presented a case study involving the construction of a skate park in a neighbourhood in Sheffield.
He told the story of young teenagers banding together to approach local authorities for the long-needed infrastructure, of how the entire neighbourhood rallied around the teenagers in raising funds for the costly project, and how Hulbert and his team managed every stakeholder affected by the project.
The punchline was delivered: engineers, practise our craft not so we can admire physical products but because the fruits of our labour can shape the lives of people in significant ways.
This encapsulates the focus of the engineering education at the University of Sheffield, which is to train budding engineers to tackle critical global issues.
Inspiration was half the package but opportunities beyond the auditorium to explore our passion in engineering made my educational experience at Sheffield truly special.
A memorable event was the Global Engineering Challenge where I collaborated with students from a plethora of engineering disciplines in organising plans to combat housing difficulties in Bambui, Cameroon.
Discussing extracurricular activities among my group of friends revealed some priceless moments in our lives as some flaunted their newly constructed UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), discussed new locomotive designs for the Railway Challenge or boasted about their human-powered aircraft that almost took flight.
The requirements of a good engineering education go far beyond gaining technical knowledge.
Engineering at the University of Sheffield is committed to moulding engineers of the future through the incubation of aspirations, passions and minds, producing a community of intelligentsia ready to tackle the issues that await us in this challenging world.
Hence, with great confidence, I’m proud to say that I’m a Sheffielder. –
The University of Sheffield has an office in Kuala Lumpur and can be reached at seao@sheffield.ac.uk.
For more information, contact AUG Student Services at 03-5634 3767 or e-mail ukeducation@augstudy.com.