Daniel Ryan
Daniel Ryan
- Student type: Domestic
- Degree type: Degree
- Degree(s): Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
- Major(s): Electrical and computer science engineering
Why did you choose Monash?
I chose to come to Monash based on good reviews from engineering alumni and the flexible course structure. When I first started university I wasn't sure which engineering specialisation I would pursue. Monash gave me the opportunity to try all of them. I also visited the Monash campus prior to applying and really liked the open campus and suburban location. Being from a semi-rural area I didn't really want to attend a uni in the city centre!
What attracted you to engineering?
I like the rawness of it. Engineering is really fundamentally about being able to analyse and improve things. The idea of making something whether it's a piece of software, washing machine, wind turbine or bridge not only work but to work well is extremely exciting.
What made you choose the specialisation/major you studied?
It wasn't until I actually began to attend university that I realised just how broad of a field ECSE is, it's definitely not just about designing electronic widgets and gizmos! I chose ECSE because of its breadth and complexity and the possibilities for the field in the future.
Tell us about what you studied – What was it? What did it involve? What did you actually do?
The engineering course is really made up of labs, lectures, tutorials and projects. Lectures cover theoretical engineering fundamentals and knowledge, labs allow you to apply some of those fundamentals to more practical problems, tutorials are largely for practising calculations and solving problems on specific topics, and projects are where you try to pull all of the knowledge you have together and usually in a small group make something that works with your friends.
Apart from study, what else were you involved in both at Monash and off campus? (Paid work, sport, clubs, hobbies etc)?
In the later two years of my undergrad course I was actually lucky enough to be a PASS Leader (Peer assisted study session), basically in that role I would collaborate with other leaders to create small study sessions for a first year subject. Students who were taking that unit could attend these sessions which were trying to fill the gap between high school and university to assist students in moving towards more self guided study.
What was the highlight of your course?
The highlight of my course was living on campus in my first year, it was a great opportunity to meet other people studying my course along with a whole multitude of other people from many different backgrounds. It also helped with making the transition from living at home to becoming independent.