Umer

Since a young age, I have always been motivated and intrigued to learn about the mechanism and theories behind all kinds of things. During high school, I dove headfirst into the science field studying physics to understand the structure of matter and how different constituents interact with each other, chemistry to understand what different substances are, and biology to understand how living things work. I took these subjects for the sole purpose of knowing more about how different objects work and interact with each other. From there, I started to learn more about the theories and the fundamentals, but never really had a chance of putting the theories into work. I realized that my true passion lies in engineering instead of science, because I wanted to design something innovative which could possibly be useful for myself and others in the future.

Coming to HKUST, my eyes were opened to countless opportunities that would allow me to explore my passion with hands-on experience. Looking back on my first year, I would think of myself as a newbie who didn’t even know what he desire to gain from university life. But now, after three years, I discovered my genuine passion for computer science, in the field of cybersecurity and machine learning (ML). By gaining more knowledge in cybersecurity and ML, I could work on designing effective and strong security systems which are necessary to guard us against any breach from unauthorized access when we work with technology. I would not have found my passion if it wasn’t for the comprehensive and practical courses taught in HKUST.

Apart from academics, HKUST has also allowed me to join different programs such as the Engineering Student Ambassador program, to build friendships that will last for a lifetime. I can truly call HKUST my second home, where I am able learn more about myself and grow as who I am today, and I truly appreciate everything it has provided me.