Rodney Munashe
Moses

Tell us a bit about yourself? Why did you choose to study at Nottingham Trent University?

I am passionate about technology, and I have recently completed my BEng (Hons) Biomedical Engineering after four years at Nottingham Trent University. I choose to study at Nottingham Trent University because the degree structure they offered covered the areas I wanted to study about.

Did you come to NTU through an agent? If so how did that help you? How was your experience?

Yes, I used an agency based in Harare, Zimbabwe. It was a good experience to have someone talk to you about the university because I hadn’t visited NTU yet. Therefore, it made me less nervous when I finally arrived in the UK.

Tell us about your course. What is the best bit? Would you recommend your course to other students?

Biomedical Engineering is a multi-disciplinary field, unlike the traditional engineering fields. Therefore, it provides you with knowledge from maths, biology, chemistry, computing and physics.

I would recommend engineering courses at NTU to students who are interested in developing and applying engineering solutions to problems. The courses offer great flexibility with lots of opportunities to work on projects set by real companies.

Congratulations on securing your placement! Can you tell us about more about your placement and how you found this process?

I did my placement in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire with a company called Paxman. They manufacture a medical device that helps prevent hair loss caused by chemotherapy treatment which is already available in over 50 countries globally. I conducted technical analysis on this machine. Additionally, I operated in the R&D Department as an R&D Engineer at Paxman. I developed the Operating System, designed the electrical schematics, and wrote the documentation for the new Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy Machine. The machine we invented will reduce the likelihood of nerve cell damage that is caused by some chemotherapeutics. A patent naming myself and my team as the machinery inventors was filed in Singapore (Patent Application No: 102020110347T). I also learnt and applied Medical Device Regulations whilst developing the machine.

Overall, this was a great learning opportunity for me. I have always enjoyed building machines since I was a teen and this opportunity allowed me to do that, making me a better engineer.

Have you joined any societies or clubs at NTU? If so, how do you feel this has benefited you?

Yes, I joined Travel & Culture Society in my final year at NTU. It was an exciting society to join because it allowed me to explore different cultures from across the world.

Have you had any opportunities to work or volunteer while at NTU?

Yeah, whilst at NTU I was an Assistant Cub Scout Leader with two groups in Nottingham. This allowed me to do a lot of community service including visit Dementia Retirement Homes. I also worked as a Student Ambassador for the School of Science & Technology.

Do you enjoy Nottingham? What do you think are the best things about Nottingham for an international student?

Yes! I do enjoy Nottingham. A lot of the shops and companies are student-centric due to the huge student population in Nottingham. This makes it easier to save some money and to meet more people. The location is perfect for overseas students because due to the central location between major airports, you have more choice as to which airport to arrive at and leave from.

Have you used any support teams at the University (visa team, student support, tutors)? Have they made your experience easier?

Yes! I used the support teams at the university to learn how to reference using the Harvard referencing style required by the Department of Engineering. This allowed me to achieve a First Class for my dissertation because referencing is utterly important.

Have you learnt anything from your experiences that you would advise future international students?

I would say that if you can explore other countries and cultures whilst you are studying in the UK, take the opportunity. It’s a mind-opening experience you can’t learn from any book.

Can you describe NTU in three words?

Diverse, welcoming and supportive.