We won the competition as we worked well as a team

Why did you choose to study Electronic and Electrical Engineering at Sheffield?

One of my main reasons for furthering my studies at the University of Sheffield is because the University is generous in offering financial aid. I am currently a recipient of the undergraduate merit scholarship from the university which really helped reduce the financial burden of studying abroad. The  University of Sheffield is also one of the top universities in the UK and is a member of the Russell Group. 

What do you enjoy most about your course and living in Sheffield?

The thing that I really like about my course is that it is very versatile. It covers subjects from electronics to programming and it provides us with a solid foundation to pursue a wide range of career paths. Personally, I enjoy the programming part of my course and I also had the opportunity to complete several programming projects during my time at the university.

Living in Sheffield has been amazing so far. We have a diverse community here and people are generally very friendly. I also enjoy the greeneries we have in the city which helps me to relax during my walk home at the end of the day. 

Why did you enter the competition?

I entered the Siemens SustainaCity 2021 Racer Competition because I am interested in a placement with Siemens. I also enjoy working in multi-disciplinary teams to overcome real-world challenges which is what this competition is all about. 

What did you have to do during the competition, what was your role in the team? 

Our team was tasked to design a transportation system for the future where sustainability is the key focus. During the competition, I mainly worked on a payment system that removes the use of tickets. The goal was to make the process as hassle free as possible and to prevent long queues. I also helped the team to break down the problem and proposed the use of user stories to help us better understand the challenge. 

What did you enjoy most about being in the competition?

Working with my team! Despite not knowing each other previously, each of us fit into the team right away and the team environment was very friendly and supportive. We all contributed original ideas but more importantly, we built on those ideas as a team. 

Why do you think your team won?

Teamwork. I believe we won because we worked really well as a team. We communicated effectively and leveraged our individual strengths. We were also organised and established sub-teams to help us work more efficiently. Lastly, we also focused on creating a positive customer experience on-top of transportation technologies to encourage more people to use public transportation. 

What is your prize?

I was awarded a £250 amazon voucher and an engraved trophy. I was also offered an interview for a 12-month internship in Siemens however I have chosen to work for IBM for my year in industry.