Maximilian

Growing up, my favorite subjects in school were math and science, as I enjoyed the challenge and satisfaction behind solving difficult problems. So, when I entered high school, I found studying engineering at university a very natural progression. That was where I decided to come to study at HKUST, despite only having a very superficial understanding of engineering.

However, when I entered HKUST, I realized how different engineering was from what I expected it to be. While I was very good at high school math and science, I found that engineering was not about solving problems from the back of the textbook, but rather about the application of math and science to create something that can help you or someone else. I understood this when I took a class on electro-robot design in my first semester at HKUST, where I learned how to use simple electronic circuits to build a small self-driving car. Class hours were spent more in labs rather than classrooms so that students could learn from building and experimenting rather than from a textbook.

While the final robotic car was very primitive, I clearly saw how math and science could be used to develop exciting innovations. My passion for engineering sparked in this class, and I am grateful that I found such a rewarding experience in university.