Mimi Class of 2023

"I'm studying Mechanical Engineering at Imperial (integrated masters) and am doing a Year in Industry at Cummins having completed my first two years of studies".

Tells us about your love of Science and its real-world impact.   

I'm currently studying Mechanical Engineering at Imperial (integrated masters) and am doing a Year in Industry at Cummins having completed my first two years of studies. I've always really loved studying physics and maths but have been interested in their real-world approaches rather than the purely theoretical aspect that you learn from studying these subjects individually. When I was studying the IB, I undertook my EE in researching the use of hydrogen enriched diesel in rotary engines as a range extender for electric vehicles. My dad had always taken apart engines growing up so I had a prior interest but it was this research project that really fuelled my interest in engineering. Having the opportunity to go so in depth in the project and see the potential that it could hold for the future, considering the environmental emissions, was fascinating and made me want to continue to do more like it! I'm passionate about using engineering for the better of the world, particularly the environment. With the automotive industry being so huge, there is so much potential to improve our emissions and reduce harm to the environment, hence this is what I am most interested in.
 

Tell us about what TGS gave you.

As much work as the IB was, it definitely gave me the opportunities to explore engineering through my Maths and Physics IAs and my EE. Understanding how to balance my subjects prepared me for uni and really helped with my time management, particularly when revising. My teachers were really inspiring and gave me lots of advice regarding my future.

Tell us about what you are doing now.  

I have completed my first two years studying Mechanical Engineering at Imperial and am currently 6 months into a Year in Industry at Cummins in Huddersfield working in the turbocharger sector of the company. Given the focus on enhancing engine efficiency at Cummins and the potential performance enhancement that can be gained from turbochargers, this was a company and product I am really interested in. During my placement, I will work in three different departments. So far I have had the opportunity to plan and run lots of testing, where I have then created presentations to share the results and my conclusions in a technical review. I have been able to develop my CAD skills and learnt a lot in general about what working in an engineering company is like.

Where are you based now? 

Currently working in Huddersfield but living in Leeds. Next year I will be back in London.

Tell us about what does your working week look like.

At university I often have lectures and tutorials between 9-5 (except for Wednesdays) and spend the majority of my spare time working on tutorial sheets and reviewing lecture notes. At Cummins, I work 8.30-4.30 and spend my time working on a variety of projects. I'm often planning testing/preparing parts for testing or will spend time in the lab to oversee this and plot the results as they're in progress. My current department looks into future technologies the company is hoping to develop so I also spend a lot of my time researching trends in the turbocharger industry and competitor products that would be interesting to test. I often have a couple of meetings a day, usually for project updates.  

Tell us about your proudest achievement so far.

Getting through my first two years at Imperial!! It's been a lot of work but I've really enjoyed my work, in particular the design projects I've had the opportunity to work on. I was project leader for both of these last year and found it so satisfying to be able to see a project through from design to prototyping. Seeing my own progress dealing with these projects, in particular with my CAD skills has been really exciting. 

What did you study in Sixth Form?

Maths (Analysis), Physics, Chemistr. Psychology, English Lit and Lang, Spanish

Tell us about your teachers at TGS

I had really amazing teachers during my time at TGS, in particular Mr McDaid and Mrs Boddy. Mr McDaid taught me Chemistry as well as being my EE supervisor and gave me so much support with my passion for engineering and university applications! Mrs Boddy was my Physics teacher and was the same in being extremely supportive and really pushing my interest in the subject through my IA.