Ahmad Arhum Alam
Nationality: Pakistani
Hometown: I was born in Karachi, the biggest city in Pakistan. After spending a memorable nine years there, my family moved to Malaysia where I have been residing for the past eight years.
Current location: UK Campus
Studying: MEng Electrical and Electronics Engineering (Year 3)
What I enjoy most about University of Southampton: The main reason my parents and I chose USMC was the ranking and acceptance of its EEE degree, as well as the split campus program. What I like the most about USMC is the closeness and bonding between the students, as it is very easy to get to know other students with like interests.
Ambition: I aim to complete my MEng EEE degree and get a job in a reputable engineering firm in the UK. In the long run, I hope to get an additional MBA degree, be recognised as a chartered engineer (CEng) and start my own engineering company.
Soeffiah Mierza Djuli
Nationality: Malaysian
Hometown: I was fortunate enough to have had a very global upbringing; having been born in Sarawak, I spent the majority of my childhood growing up in the Netherlands and then Qatar.
Current location: UK Campus
Studying: Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Year 4)
What I enjoy most about University of Southampton: As an Electrical and Electronic Engineering student, a large part of my time is spent on laboratory work – and although the workload relating to our labs can often be overwhelming, at the end of the day, I am thankful that the course is such that our lectures and labs are incredibly interconnected, as it provides the opportunity for an active, hands-on learning experience. Furthermore, with the relatively small class size coupled with the lecture-student ratio, there is a genuine sense of rapport.
Ambition: Although I have ideas as to what I might like to specialise in, in more general terms I aspire to become an engineer that brings about change. Whether it be through improving a system or finding an entirely new way to do things, my main ambition is to somehow improve life for others. For the time being, I aim to persist in my curiosity and continue to expand my knowledge with each day.
Gan Yi Xien
Nationality: Malaysian
Hometown: I was born and raised in Shah Alam, one of the major cities constituting the state of Selangor. As a result, I’ve spent most of my life cooped up in the city. Now, I’m currently living in Gelang Patah, Johor. Thinking back, coming here is the very first time I’ve left my comfort zone and ventured into the terrifying world of adulthood…alone.
Current location: UK Campus
Studying: Electrical and Electronic Engineering ( Year 3)
What I enjoy most about University of Southampton: I really enjoy studying here due to the relaxing study environment that the university provides. The pleasant and peaceful atmosphere here allows me to keep calm and focus while I study. I also love the fact that the university is neighbouring a few other universities as this allows me to meet more people from different cultural and academic backgrounds in addition to the already diverse population of the university. Furthermore, this also means that I get to participate in a lot more events which are not limited to the university alone.
Ambition: Studying in a world-class engineering institution obviously means that I would pursue a career in engineering. However, people often tell me to dream BIGGER. Therefore, I also aim to start my own business and become one of the world’s most renowned and successful engineers/businessmen.
I also believe that one should never cease to learn, no matter how old or how successful. So, I intend to pursue different courses of studies after I achieve my masters in engineering in hopes of understanding more about the world we live in today.
Lee Tian Ying Angeline
Nationality: Malaysian
Hometown: I grew up in Bandar Utama, Selangor – a township sprawling with people and commercial buildings.
Current location: Malaysia Campus
Studying: Mechanical Engineering (Year 2)
What I enjoy most about the University of Southampton: Since it’s such a small campus, I can easily bump into seniors. With the small ratio of lecturers to students, getting guidance and/or help regarding the course is not a problem. It is also easier to get access to labs to work on personal projects.
Ambition: After watching a documentary about James Dyson, I was inspired to become a design engineer. My ambition is to invent products that will help different people with various types of problems.
Priscilla Ting
Nationality: Malaysian
Hometown: I was raised in the beautiful city of Kuching, situated on the island of Borneo. You can say I am a proud Sarawakian so never ever judge our staple food, Sarawak Laksa!
Current Location: UK Campus
Studying: Mechanical Engineering (Year 4)
What I enjoy about University of Southampton: The high staff to student ratio is a plus factor to why I chose the Malaysia campus. Lecturers are really approachable and with the relatively small amount of students as compared to the U.K. campus, it is easier to mingle around and meet cool people! Furthermore, it is much nearer to home.
Ambition: A girl can dream, and a girl can dream big! I aspire to be an engineer with an approach to improve the aeronautical industry. Although I have my mind set on this particular goal, I am open to every opportunity given, as the road in life is unexpected.
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