Career

My strength has always been logic, as it is how I have managed to understand the world. For me, understanding something leads to both meaning and power. Meaning, because it provides us with a reason – the rain does not fall without a purpose. Power, because when we understand things, it means we can change or take advantage of them – our satellites remain in the sky, just as the moon eternally hovers above.

When I enrolled in ISSE I was mainly looking to understand our modern world. There is perhaps no better tool for this than programming. In a world run by technology, speaking the language of machines lets you tap into everything around you. Further, I wanted to experience living in another country and gain a new perspective, which was so far from my own.

I gained this and more while being a part of ISSE.

I also learned that people are both kinder and meaner than they seem. I learned that helping and getting help is one of the best ways to connect with people. I learned that the greatest teachers are not the ones with the most knowledge, but the ones with the most passion. I learned that doing things on your own will get you the most reliable results, although not necessarily the best. And, finally, I also learned that anything you learn in one place, you must forget when you move on to the next. In the end, the only thing that remains a constant is you, and how your experiences have shaped you.

As a prospective student, I would recommend that you come into this course hungry to learn, but also looking for a personal transformation.

I am eternally grateful to all my university peers and teachers that helped mold me into what I am today. I came out of the course a more reliable person, with the engineering tools I needed to pursue my dreams.

I saw dozens of theses here dealing with AI, computer vision, signal processing, robotics, embedded systems, web development, and even those which seemed to not fit into the course; but most of them had amazing ideas that I am honored to have witnessed. Any idea you might have, can come true here under the correct guidance.

I was a part of ViNE lab, which I thoroughly recommend, and the people in it became my family during many months. My peers became my siblings in both failure and success – we were always excited when we got something working; and my professors became my adoptive parents. If you see Chandler-sensei and Nicko-sensei, please be kind to them, as they were always the kindest to me. However, also remind them to be mean, because nothing helped me more than when they were willing to tell me where I went wrong.

My current job is not half as exciting as my time in university. If you become a student in ISSE, I would recommend that you enjoy challenges before they are gone. I recommend you speak the loudest before your voice dies down. Leave your mark in ISSE as ISSE has left its mark in me.

As part of ISSE, know that you will learn what you wish to learn, but know the dangers of perhaps learning more. Know that you will become a fully fledged engineer, with all the challenges and disappointments that go together with it; but also know that what you learn will provide you meaning and power – a power to change the world.