Ramsha Saleem

Choosing Surrey

There were many reasons Surrey stood out for me. The modules offered on my course were diverse and I felt there’d be room to explore the various sectors within civil engineering, while gradually building towards a specialism in my final years.

The location also seemed ideal. Having lived in London my whole life, it would allow me to move out and explore a new area while being close enough to home.

But it was my first visit to the campus on the open day that made me realise Surrey was the place for me. The atmosphere, the lecturers and the students I met on the day, and the overall setting made it feel like a second home.

My course

My primary reason for being interested in the course at Surrey was the opportunity to integrate a placement year with the Surrey/ICE scholarship. This was a prospect that seemed unique to the University and one I hoped would equip me with the skills and confidence I needed to step into the workplace as a civil engineer in the future.

Theoretical knowledge from books must be accompanied by hands-on experience and that was one of the predominant reasons why Surrey stood out for me.

My studies

My university experience so far has been an unforgettable one. It’s not all been smooth sailing. It’s been academically challenging and demanding, but I couldn’t have asked for a more rewarding and moulding few years.

The opportunities that have been presented to me during my time have been enriching, the students and lecturers I’ve met have been inspirational, and the sheer amount of personal growth I’ve made over the years makes me smile.

It’s a bittersweet feeling knowing that my time here will come to an end soon. But Surrey’s made me feel ready to enter the next phase of my life and it’s instilled excitement within me for the future.

My tutors

The best part of my course are the lecturers who teach us. I’m a firm believer that an educational institution is only as good as the academics who enrich it, and I’ve always felt supported by the lecturers.

Modules that initially seemed mundane sparked an interest when taught by academics who are specialists in their fields.

My summer placements and Professional Training placement have also been a highlight of my course. They’ve allowed me to apply the knowledge I’ve developed in lecture theatres and laboratories, instilled discipline and motivation within me, and enhanced my confidence significantly.

Additional research work

In my second year, Dr Alireza Behnejad offered me an opportunity to collaborate with him in a student-staff research project. We explored different aspects of the international collaborations within the Design, Assemble and Dismantle (DAD) project.

This involved students from Surrey, ITESO University in Mexico and Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in Iran.

Student life

I was part of the Baseball and Softball Society during my second year. During my third year, I’ve undertaken the role of treasurer in the Women in Engineering Society.

I lived in Manor Park for my first year at Surrey. It felt daunting to be moving out of home for the first time and living with six strangers. But I loved the experience. I was extremely lucky to have met so many great people.  

The future

I’m hoping to join my placement company and work towards figuring out which sector I’d like to specialise in, then get chartered.

I’ve currently only had experience within the transport and infrastructure sector of the industry, so upon graduating I’d like to gain experience in other sectors.

Ultimately, my driving force is humanitarian engineering and that’s the area I’d like to eventually work in.

Find out more about studying in our Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.