The best thing about being an engineer is the freedom to imagine, to try, to fail, to succeed and have fun in the process.
Professor Sanja Dogramadzi is a Professor of Medical Robotics in the Department of Automatic Control and Systems Engineering and here she tells us what motivated her to become an engineer.
Read: Our interview with Sanja.
Why did you want to be an engineer?
My inspiration for engineering came from my parents – my dad, who was a successful engineer, heading a construction group in a large manufacturing company with the most thorough knowledge of mechanics and maths and my mum who was not an engineer but was able to open and fix any device that was useful for her. Their approaches were most different but equally fascinating to me. I was also good in maths and physics in high school so engineering seemed like the only way forward for me.
What brought you to the University of Sheffield?
The Department of Automatic Control and Systems Engineering and the University of Sheffield have a fantastic reputation both nationally and internationally. With the exceptional facilities in the AMRC, great Robotics lab and friendly colleagues, I thought this could be the right place to continue my research. On a personal level, Sheffield is a lovely city and most of my family lives up North so I will be able to see them more often.
What’s been the highlight of your engineering journey so far?
I studied Mechanical Engineering and Control but then found out that I really like to work on Biomedical Engineering and computing problems in multidisciplinary teams, researching real world problems and coming up with novel solutions. My research focuses on surgical and physically assistive robots, particularly physical human-robot interaction.
How did it feel to become a Professor?
I was proud when I got recognised with that title and it brings more responsibilities and expectations.
What are your ambitions for the future?
I want to see some, or all of, my research utilized in the real world. There is so much more we can do with technology to make our living better and easier.
What’s the best thing about being an engineer?
The freedom to imagine, to try, to fail, to succeed and have fun in the process.
We interviewed Sanja in March 2021