Ahmed arrived at Strathclyde to study an MSc in Mechatronics and Automation. Find out more about his research and his thoughts on life at Strathclyde.
Why did you choose to study at DMEM?
After working for two years in the R&D department of a technology development firm, I was looking to gain a Masters degree from a university that could provide a broad range of disciplines relating to my field but with strong connections to industry. I felt that studying at DMEM would help me achieve this goal in a spectacular manner, as it maintains strong links with industry and provides students with opportunities to work on real-life industrial projects and research.
Why did you choose to study your course?
Mechatronics is an emerging field in today’s world, combining electronic engineering, mechanical engineering and controls systems - practically everything around us. No mechanical device is without control electronics these days and any electronics with any sort of intelligence relates to the field of Mechatronics. With that being said, what really lead me to choose this course at the Department of Design, Manufacture and Engineering Management is the blend of technology and design that is brought to the course. One thing that most engineers lack is a good understanding of design methodologies and a good aesthetic sense which this course strongly encourages.
What have been the highlights of your course to date?
The course has brought many exciting things my way but the most interesting by far would have to be the Design of a Green Bot, the Industrial Group Project and the Rover VIP. For the Green Bot, students are asked to design and prototype a mobile golf course rover with the capability of navigating to user defined positions autonomously whilst avoiding any obstacles. Once at these positions a mechanism is supposed to spread rice over an area of 1 meter squared evenly.
The Industrial Group Project is where students get to work on modifying or developing a product for a real client or company. This is a great way of learning, as not only does it give you the opportunity to apply your knowledge to provide an industrial grade solution but also enables students to learn how to collaborate with clients and work in a multi-disciplinary team.
The VIP or Vertically Integrated Program is an ongoing project that different departments of the university develop over time. Every year new students are taken into the team and are given the opportunity to work on the development of this project. DMEM’s VIP is a Mobile Rover which, with an array of sensors, navigates through crop fields to analyse the condition of these crops and report the data collected back to care taker of that field.
What are your ambitions following the completion of your course?
My ambition was always to start a company that develops robotics solutions starting from mobile robots to industrial robots that provide assembly line solutions. All the courses that I have studied lead me down exactly that path and after studying at DMEM I have better clarity as to how this can be achieved.
What advice would you give to someone considering coming to study at the department of Design, Manufacturing and Engineering Management?
The Department offers a great number of opportunities to expand your horizons and help you develop into an all-rounder. DMEM has some of the smartest professors with great levels of expertise in their respective fields, along with well-equipped facilities that will give you a hands-on learning experience.
As mentioned earlier, the department’s strong links with industry is a highlight as they produce graduates which are “industry ready” and are not just pure academics. The overall experience is phenomenal, so if you are an individual who is seeking to develop in their field from a practical standpoint, the Department of Design, Manufacture and Engineering Management at the University of Strathclyde is the place for you.