Janariah is from Johor Bahru, Malaysia. She studied at INTEC Education College before coming to UC to do a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Electrical and Electronic Engineering.
A few years ago I was doing research into courses and I came across an article about something called a superconducting cable. When I searched its sources I discovered it was from the EPE Centre here at UC. That really sparked my desire to come to UC.
Her favourite part of studying at UC is the opportunity to go on field trips.
I really want to specialise in power, and at the EPE Centre they organise field trips to power plants each year. So far I’ve been visited seven plants in the North and Sound Islands. In New Zealand they use a lot of renewable energy and it's really amazing to see so many different types of power plants.
She also has a lot of respect and admiration for the lecturers.
This year my classes are smaller and I know all of my lecturers names. They are so kind to me. They actually greet me whenever I come to class which is something that really makes my day. If I'm finding something hard, they give me advice. There is a lot of support and help at UC.
Janariah has found it easy to make friends with a wide range of people at UC.
I have a lot of international friends from India, Vietnam, Thailand, Poland, South Africa, Pakistan. Even the Kiwis here often have different backgrounds. People are really friendly and easy to approach. I used to be quite shy but now I talk to everyone! I never feel awkward or out of place. I really feel at home.
One of her favourite things to do when not studying is to head out and experience the great outdoors.
I love the mountains here. The scenery is really magical, especially in winter. We went on a walk up a glacial valley at Mount Cook and it was my first time experiencing snow! It was one of my most memorable moments ever.
With a job waiting for her back in Malaysia as part of her sponsorship, Janariah is looking forward to making a real difference with what she's learned at UC.
In Malaysia they plan to start generating more power through renewable energy and I want to be part of that change. In New Zealand the energy is 80% renewable so it's an amazing opportunity to learn what they do here and take that knowledge back home.
One of the most exciting things for Janariah has been the opportunity to do hands on learning and meet the challenge of figuring things out herself.
There is a major difference between UC and other universities, which is that here they are very, very practical. We do labs with real things, like induction motors for example. You’re free to go in your own time and figure out how to do stuff yourself. Even our assignments are open ended. They say everyone will come up with different answers and that's okay. That is not how we do things in our country! It's challenging to get used to, but I believe it teaches you how to become a “real” engineer. At UC we learn how to think for ourselves, ask questions and be productive. That’s what engineering is all about.