You started a club – tell us about it!
I founded the University of Canterbury Human Powered Club. As an avid biker, I thought it’d be cool to combine my passions for biking and engineering. We had a goal of designing a really cool recumbent bike, and last year we built our first one out of recycled parts. It was lots of fun, and we have an overarching goal of setting the land speed record for a human powered vehicle in New Zealand.
Speaking of sustainability, what direction do you see it going in the future?
One thing that's happening now is a big shift towards electricity as a form of power, away from standard coal or other petrol. With people trying to find renewable ways to use electricity, I think that's going to be one big area where we can definitely improve.
How else has UC prepared you to succeed?
Almost every year I go to the Careers Advisors to get help on my CV and job and scholarship applications. With my first CV, I didn’t really know how to make one, but they went over every single step and helped me make it really professional. It’s been helpful with applying for jobs and internships.
Any words of wisdom for students coming to UC from other countries?
If you talk to people, you’ll find others who have lived overseas or have those connections all the time. It’s hard to take that first step of talking to someone new, but just try. Through group projects, you get to know people really well and often end up staying in contact with them. Another good way to find people with common interests is through clubs.
