MSc - Mechanical Engineering Design

My name is Samira. I am in my first year of the PhD in the Design and Engineering department. I am an international student from Jordan. My research in sponsored by Zimmer and involves improving/validation the design of a sensor used during total knee replacements to help surgeons.

Challenges and overcoming them

Moving from abroad while starting this journey took some adjustment which can be challenging. However, there is a lot of support from the Doctoral College. For example, there are get-togethers for international students and various clubs for hobbies and sports. I have already noticed how much I have grown in this short timeframe which makes me excited for the future.

Considering my career options

Before starting my PhD, I wanted to have a career in academia. However, now I am keen to learn about what options are available to me in the private sector. I can get advice from professors where some have had a career in the private sector before academia. So, although graduation is not for another 2 years, the future is something I am exploring through the resources available at the university.

Globally, there are so many different opportunities for people in STEM and specifically engineering which is very exciting. The demand is high for engineers so finding a suitable career after graduation is easier than with some other majors.

Some advice I would give for prospective students looking at engineering, especially women, is to explore different topics in engineering before you immediately write off the whole subject. Engineering gets a bad reputation as boring or as a boy’s club, which can be intimidating. However, engineering is a widely diverse subject where essentially every topic can be seen from an engineering standpoint. For example, my undergraduate degree was in biomedical engineering where mechanical and electrical engineering were combined to explore a wide variety of topics in the medical field. This includes medical devices, prosthetics, artificial organs, tissue engineering, and so many more.

Another piece of advice is to have an idea of what kind of job you see yourself doing in the future, do you like hand-on work? do you prefer working online? There is a way to incorporate these into your career. Additionally, something to take into consideration is that jobs in STEM fields are in high demand which means after graduation, finding a job will be easier and full of opportunities.