Qa
What are the most enjoyable
Advice for people considering this
Mechatronics and Robotics, I don’t tolerate mediocrity, if you find yourself Why did you choose aspects of your position? career. a classical day-inday- out work struggling you need to work through it. this career?I really love being involved inenjoy cutting edge Work hard, put in late nights when you
setting. It’s great to be so interested Expect greatness from yourself! It’s a research, in especially need to and stick to it. There will be tough I grew up very interested design in Mechatronics and and excited in my work – many people slippery I don’t enjoy a classical day-intimes along the way, but DON’T tolerateslope from tolerating that 51% and creative work,Robotics, but I also found can’t claim this. I enjoy being able to pass to failing courses… work setting. mediocrity, if you find yourself struggling that I had a knackday-out for science and It’s great to be so manage my ownyou time, PhD studies are it. Expect interested and excited in my work – many need to work through critical thinking. My artistic skills have pressured – I have to produce results It’s a slippery claim this. greatness from yourself! Type of person that never been up to people much, can’t so I went for I enjoy being able and writearepublishable papers regularly, to manage my own time, PhD studies slope from tolerating that 51%would pass to enjoy this the science side. Many people don’t I amand allowedfailing to work independently pressured – I have to producebut results courses… kind of career? realise how much creativity goes and keep write publishable papers regularly, but I my own hours. into research and novel design work am allowed to work independently and Type of person that wouldSomeone enjoy with an independent, and how satisfying and interesting inquisitive and keen mind, who is able keep my own hours. this kind of career? Career highlights? it is to be allowed to pursue original toinquisitive commit to working hard for months Someone with an independent, There are 3 thatand come tomind, mind,who is able to and research. I knew pretty on that I keen commit to Careerearly highlights? months towards a single goal. Winning the award for best year and months wanted to be involved working hardfinal for months There in aresomething 3 that comelike to mind, project Being awarded engineering and engineering research towards a single goal. Winning the award for best final year in my BEng; Potential for growth (with a partner) 2 patents for a highincareer? Mechatronics and Robotics was an project in my BEng; id you choose this Where can your current product wePotential developed; Being awarded (with a tech partner) 2 forBeing growth - Where can up very interested inevolution design andof that. position lead? awarded my MSc Engcurrent Cum Laude. patents for a high-tech product we work, but I also found that I had a your position lead? It could go in one of two directions. developed; or science and critical thinking. My could go in one The Cum LaudeItrecognition wasofatwo directions. What training did you Being awarded my MSchuge Eng Cum skills have never been up to much, Sticking to not academia can lead Sticking to research to academia can lead to highlight for me, it’s common undergo, and where? Laude. The Cum Laude recognition was a to be nt for the science side. chair positions highly respected for a degree awarded atand thata level research chair positions and a highly Afterhow highmuch school huge (Maritzburg highlightCollege for me, it’s notand common for the professorship. any people don’t realise Theinother is the after all hard work I put it optionrespected professorship. The other I did myawarded at that a degree to be level and ty goes into researchand andGrey novelHigh School) private sector, where a Doctor option of was rewarding. is the private sector, where a Bachelor (BEng) after all the hard work I put in it was work and how satisfying and of Engineering engineering can conduct highly advanced Doctor of engineering can conduct ing it is to be allowed pursue research in a well-funded company. in to Mechatronics atrewarding. NMMU in Port highly advanced research in a well3 important qualities research. Elizabeth. From there I joined UKZN in funded company. that your position knew pretty early onDurban, that I wanted 3 important qualities What qualifications do I need? where I finished my Master of that your requires volved in somethingScience like In order to be involved in Academic postposition requires in Engineering (MSc Eng) in ering and engineering research in graduate Engineering study you need a qualifications Intelligence, Discipline, Creativity in What Intelligence, Discipline, Creativity in Mechanical Engineering, Cum Laude. ronics and Robotics Since was anthen I’ve been Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering problem solving. do I need? problem solving. busy with Doctoral on of that. (BSc Eng) or an equivalent, like BEng (PhD) studies, still at UKZN. In order to be involved in Academic (sometimes special cases can be made for In 1 sentence, describe your job? In 1 sentence, describe postgraduate Engineering study you BTech and non-engineering BSc raining did you undergo, and I do cutting edge research into the your job? need Bachelor of Science degree What does your graduates). You also need to excel in a your artificiallyjob intelligent management of ? in Engineering (BSc Eng) or an I do cutting edge research into the entail? gh school (Maritzburg College and equivalent, like BEng (sometimes artificially intelligent management gh School) I did my Bachelor of I am primarily a researcher working special cases can be made for BTech ering (BEng) in Mechatronics at of highly advanced and automated towards my PhD, with some Ma ny peo pl e d o n’ t rea l ise h o w and non-engineering BSc graduates). in Port Elizabeth. From there I production environment as a PhD undergraduate lecturing thrown I Mu c h in. c reat iv it y g o es int o resea You rcalso h need to excel in your UKZN in Durban, where I finished student. am involved in unique research which ter of Science in Engineering (MSc a nd no v el d esign wo rk a nd h oBachelor’s w in order to secure a good has not been successfully tackled by Mechanical Engineering, Cum postgraduate position with enough sat isf ying a nd int erest ing it is Experience vs Training any other researcher in the world. I Since then I’ve been busy with funding. If you do very well in your my days readingtinternational o b e a l l oThis wed t o one… pu rsu o rig ina l is a tough To be e a rounded al (PhD) studies, still spend at UKZN. Master’s you could be accepted as a publications and working on original engineer you truly need resea rc h . both. For the PhD student. It’s a tough road, but it’s theories which I can test. My research researcher, training is more important, does your job entail? so satisfying and interesting! is focussed on Artificial Intelligence marily a researcher working you need an extensive theoretical
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automated advanced and automated s my PhD, with somefor advanced andhighly Bachelor’s to secure a good postbackground of your field. inInorder the general production environment PhD student. and raduate lecturing thrown in. I amsystems, graduate position with enough Does funding. Ifthe Industry (and production so I spend a lot as aMechatronics Robotics world, d in unique researchof which not you do very well in your Master’syour you could timehas programming and testing new type of position) to differentiate yourself, you need ccessfully tackled bysoftware. any otherAs a post be accepted as a PhD student. It’s a toughyou are in, face Experience vs Training background knowledge graduate student, that in order to her in the world. I spend my days to produce road, but it’s so satisfying This is a tough rounded I’m expected journalone… To be areally gender bias? understand some concepts, butand interesting! international publications and engineer truly need both.you Forcertainly the and conference papers toyou show my aren’t very useful until you Not at all. The student base for g on original theoriesresearch which I can researcher,world. training is more important, you the Industry (and your type of to the academic have real-world Does experience. Mechanical Engineering is still research is focussed on Artificial need an extensive theoretical background position) that you are in, face predominantly male, but I believe ence for advanced and automated of your field. In the general Mechatronics gender bias? What are the Advice forNot people is due to interest, not to tion systems, so I spend a lot of andmost Robotics world, to differentiate at all. The student base forthis Mechanical enjoyable aspects considering this career. ogramming and testing new yourself, you need background knowledge Engineering is still predominantly male, bias. Anyone with the right your e. As a post graduateof student, I’m position? in order to really understand Work some hard, put in butlate I believe is due to interest, not to capability and intellectual nightsthis when you d to produce journal and love beingconcepts, bias. Anyone commitment can make it I really involvedbut in you certainly aren’t needvery to and stick to it. Therewith willthe beright intellectual nce papers to show cutting my research to useful until you have real-world capability and commitment it in research. ■ inmake academic edge research, especially in tough times along the way, but DON’T can demic world. experience. academic research.
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