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“To keep growing, one must never stop learning.” That’s the lesson that Shubhangi Singh learned from her father. Singh grew up in Roorkee, a small town in the foothills of the Himalayas, known for its technological and scientific contribution to India. From a young age, she saw first-hand and was taught that education is the key to creating a more advanced and harmonious society.
Singh would go on to earn an undergraduate degree in Biotechnology. While this expanded her knowledge and understanding, she knew she needed an advanced degree to help solve India’s environmental crises. To spark change, she chose to pursue the MSc Environmental Technology at University College Dublin (UCD).
Shubhangi Singh. Credit: UCD
The programme addresses a range of crucial environmental concerns, enabling students to acquire skills in environmental engineering, risk assessment, air pollution, waste management, life cycle assessment, buildings and environment, energy systems, and sustainable environment. It was exactly the “well-rounded education” Singh sought.
“UCD fosters a culture of learning, innovation, and discipline,” she adds. “Not only did the programme widen my knowledge, it also helped me apply the skills I acquired in my current professional career and make a difference to the best of my capabilities.” She now works as a graduate environmental engineer at Irish Rail.
This ambition and drive is common among UCD students. After all, they’re studying at a university with a list of impressive accolades: it’s ranked among the top 1% of higher education institutions worldwide and is Ireland’s top university for both academic prowess and graduate employability. As one of Europe’s leading research-intensive universities, it has made significant contributions to our realm of knowledge, from working on smarter treatments for Parkinson’s disease to developing new technology to conserve energy in wastewater treatment, among others.
UCD’s College of Engineering and Architecture is no less impressive. It’s composed of six schools covering chemical, civil, electrical, electronic, biomedical, biosystems, food, mechanical and materials engineering, as well as architecture, landscape architecture, planning and environmental policy. Given this, it’s only natural that it offers a range of expertly-led postgraduate programmes around these disciplines.
Students are taught by a faculty with a list of achievements that speak for themselves, if the six ERC (that’s the European Research Council) award holders and 2021 RIAI (the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland) Gold Medal winners are anything to go by.
Their expertise and knowledge are well-utilised and channelled into every student’s education — 91% of UCD’s College of Engineering and Architecture graduates are employed or in further study within six months of graduation. They benefit from an alumni community of highly successful individuals, spanning from the Senior Vice President of Intel USA to the Google Vice President of Engineering (Androids).
“I think UCD has a reputation in Ireland and recruiters will really value that point on your CV,” says Emma Wang, a graduate of the MEngSc Engineering Management programme. “It also has very good events with famous lecturers and guests in specific industries which you can join. It really opens your eyes, teaches you about the most advanced industries in this world and raises your level.” Wang is now working as a Data Engineer at Google’s European HQ in Dublin.
The programme centres around interactive and varied teaching methods that deepen students’ knowledge of business and management within engineering fields. This includes project management and supply chain design, as well as marketing and finance.
“It’s intended towards all engineering backgrounds, which makes it very diverse,” shares Danielle Lombardi de Mattos. “I believe that after completing the course, I’ll be a better qualified engineer in a broad context, more prepared to engage in a career in global engineering and technological firms,” she says.
A final applied company-based consultancy project allows students to exercise their classroom learning, finding ways to propose and develop practical and feasible solutions to business contexts.
It’s not all just academics and reputation, however. Students are surrounded by a quaint environment, including a quiet lake right outside the main engineering building. For many, it’s the perfect place to unwind and relax.
Source: UCD
“It is, in my opinion, one of the nicest places on campus,” says Electrical and Electronic Engineering student Aness Khalid Al-Qawlaq.
The best part of being a student at UCD, though? Its close-knit student community.
“Chemical Engineering is a small class so there’s a really big family feel to it which I’m really going to miss,” shares Hazal Beceriklican, an ME Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering graduate.
Sreeram Chandralal, an ME Materials Science and Engineering graduate, agrees. “It’s not just the fact that 25% of the student cohort are international,” he says. “What makes UCD truly global is its aura of equal opportunity and inclusion.”
For more information on how to apply for one of the stellar programmes at UCD’s College of Engineering and Architecture, click here. Visit the College’s home page here.
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