Devika Kalsi

MEng Bioengineering

Hi, my name is Devika and I am currently doing a Bioengineering undergraduate course at the University of Sheffield. I am originally from India but am settled in Dubai. I have lived in Dubai for the past 11 years and completed my schooling at an Indian school there. So coming to Sheffield was a big decision for me since it’s so cold here as compared to Dubai!

After completing my schooling I thought of either going into medicine or engineering. It was a pretty tough decision as I was really confused what to take! Things changed when the Bioengineering course at the University of Sheffield caught my eye. It was the perfect blend of the subjects I was fond of and that made my choice a lot easier. It combined skills of biology and physics and seemed really interesting. So I decided to take up the course.

My choice of taking up the bioengineering course at the University of Sheffield is the best decision I’ve made. The course is really interesting and taught really well. The most enjoyable aspect of my course is definitely the labs. T here is a lot of practical work involved in my course whether it is cell culture, electrical circuits or dissection. I think it’s really great that we get to perform so many labs!

Doing practical work is a lot of fun but the most useful and valuable aspect of my course has to be the group work and projects we do. One of the modules that we study involves a lot of project work and that is very valuable because it give us a feel of what happens in a real world scenario with all the research and practical work. We get guest speakers who inform us of the practical aspect of our course, whether it is about some on-going research or protocols used nowadays. We put all the knowledge we gain from these lectures into our own mini research projects, which are sometimes group work and sometimes individual. This is really incredible because we get a chance of doing our own little research and I feel it’s the most valuable part of my course.

The teaching methods at University find the right balance between teaching and self-learning. The lecturers know what aspects of their subject do they have to teach and what the student can learn on his/ her own. Even with the self-learning bit, we are given resources and help guides to help us with our learning. It’s great that our lecturers find the right balance as it makes life as a student a lot easier.

A degree from the University of Sheffield translates to a degree from a world-class university and more recently the University of the Year 2011 by Times Higher Education. From my experiences at this university, I can guarantee that an education here gives the student a very broad skill set that is essential in today’s world.

The best thing about life at this university is definitely the Student’s Union. Encompassing over 250 societies and clubs it’s the place where one can meet other people with similar interests and work with them. There’s always something to keep everybody busy and nobody can ever feel left out.

After completing my course in Bioengineering I plan to continue my studies and gain more experience. Ultimately as a career choice, I would like to go into research or work in a company in the field of pharmaceuticals.

For students coming to Sheffield, my advice to you would be to take advantage of the Students’ Union. It really is the best!