Words by: Felice Lok 
Artwork by: Sydney Reyes 

There are many things worth celebrating in life: birthdays, waking up in time to watch the sunrise, and of course, those who are making strides during their time at uni to make an impact.

STEM is an acronym referring to research in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Below, two talented Monash students share how they’re going full STEM ahead in their engineering degrees, dedicating their time to some quite phenomenal work to better society.

What’s your specialisation and why are you passionate about it?

I’m specialising in Mechanical Engineering, and I enjoy it because of the wide range of skills and theory we learn. Mechanical Engineering also has such a diverse range of applications, from designing and manufacturing prostheses in the healthcare industry, to developing systems that could one day be implemented in a Mars rover!

What extracurricular activities and work have you been involved with at Monash?

I’ve tried to actively involve myself in extracurriculars that will allow me to meet like minded individuals and discover what I’m passionate about. Being involved in the student teams, Monash Nova Rover and Monash Young MedTech Innovators, has led me to meet so many amazing students and academics who are so passionate about what they do.

I’ve also been very lucky to have participated in two research programs, the Healthcare Innovation Summer Scholarship Program and Summer Research Program, both of which have allowed me to learn a tremendous amount from such incredible researchers and engineers.

Outside of academia, I’ve also explored other extracurriculars Monash has to offer, such as the Monash Taekwondo Club and peer mentoring programs.

What do you think has been your proudest achievement as a STEM student?

I think my proudest achievement so far has been my recent summer research project with CREATElab, where I focused on developing a reproducible manufacturing technique for a component of a cardiovascular medical device. It was such an eye-opening opportunity to experience what it was like to work in a research lab and learn about the incredible work other researchers were doing. I learnt so many new skills while developing existing ones.

Being able to contribute towards the production of a medical device as an undergraduate student, albeit a tiny amount, is something I am very proud of and will cherish as I continue my studies!

What impact do you want to create on the world through your work and skills?

I hope that one day I’ll be able to apply the knowledge and experience I’ve gained throughout my time at university to help solve problems that are affecting us and our planet. I’d particularly love to be involved with the development of more inclusive and accessible medical technologies.

Michaela Sykes-Turner
4th year Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Design student

What’s your specialisation and why are you passionate about it?

My specialisation is Mechanical Engineering, and I’m passionate about it because it is applicable to so many different things, which I get to learn about and witness first hand in Monash Motorsport. I find electric motors especially interesting, although I definitely have a heap more to learn about them!

What extracurricular activities and work have you been involved with at Monash?

I have spent most of the last few years spending as much time as possible in Monash Motorsport. We’re
a student engineering team here at Monash, and we design, build and compete with Formula Student race cars in Australia and overseas. This year I’m the Chief Executive Officer of the team, so the majority of my time goes towards that. It’s a lot of work (minimum 25 hours a week for general team members!) but it’s a great experience and a lot of fun.

What do you think has been your proudest achievement as a STEM student?

My proudest achievement has been being part of Monash Motorsport. Being a part of a team that designs and builds such complex vehicles, and works so hard, has forced me to continually learn and improve myself every day.

What impact do you want to create on the world through your work and skills?

I’m still not certain what I want to do after university. I would love to do something around cars, aircraft, or motorbikes, but in reality I don’t know [exactly] what. I would like to work in a high-performance environment, and pitch in to help improve the engineering field as a whole. I would especially like to see more engineering happening again in Australia, and further growth in engineering of renewables technology.

So, there you have it — two talented STEM students and their inspiring stories of hard work, passion and perseverance. Now let’s throw the question to you: what impact do you want to make through your studies or work?