Shem Ikoojo

As a child, one of the things that fascinated me was seeing the construction of roads and the building of houses. I usually would wake up early and go outside to have a glimpse of the men at work. Building construction projects seemed to excite me the most, as I would imagine the mystery behind having a drawing “come to life”. My curiosity of how this marvel happens led to a long interest in architecture. This interest led to me opting for a degree in Building Technology for my undergraduate studies as I saw this as a platform to explore the science behind having a marvel arise from the drawing board to physical reality.

Knowing my undergraduate degree was not sufficient to actualize my dream, I decided to further my studies even more. Hong Kong became a choice for research postgraduate studies, with its rich blend of traditional and modern infrastructure, and HKUST became my destination. Well, I guess it was an easy choice, with its reputation as one of the best research universities in the world, I didn’t see myself going anywhere else, and to add, having one of the most beautiful learning environments in the world.

The School of Engineering has so far become my home. I am constantly amazed at the quality of research output coming out from here, and the bright minds I am privileged to engage with daily. Making the decision to join the Engineering Student Ambassador family became an easy choice once more. I believe this platform will further help me amplify my voice, on what I have always done, which is tell people about how amazing HKUST is, and how the experience of being part of the School of Engineering has indeed made me more equipped to actualize my childhood dream.