Seren Peregrine
MEng Civil Engineering
University of Bristol
I am currently undertaking a MEng in Civil Engineering at Bristol University. Throughout my first two years of the course I have been able to gain a wider understanding of the field of Civil Engineering as whole, before specialising in my 3rd and 4th years. The funding provided through this award has helped me to perform to the best of my ability at University. It enabled me to purchase a laptop in my first year which can support the required programming software needed for my computational modelling modules. This award scheme has also enabled me to gain additional experience which has proven invaluable towards my degree such as trips to Freshwater West for geology and surveying practice and Hinkley Point C, as well as funding an Eco-Refurbishment course at the Sustainability Centre.
A highlight of my degree in 2nd year has been a series of laboratory sessions for a soil mechanics module where we applied the principles of geotechnical engineering to assess the stability of a dam. This was conducted through various soil tests, for instance an oedometer test to evaluate the settlement of the clay sample.
Oedometer test
Another aspect I enjoyed thoroughly was a structural engineering competition where each group designed and constructed a simple model of a building which would be tested on the earthquake shaking table at the University. The aim of the exercise was to have create an optimised design, which used the least amount of materials whilst holding a designated amount of weight. The last structure standing won- which happened to be ours!
Earthquake Competition
I have also taken an engineering French module each year alongside my degree in the hope of being able to live and work within French speaking countries at the end of my course. This award has helped fund this, as I have spent 3 months in France during my summers staying with a French host family and learning the principles of permaculture and sustainable design.
Pictures from my summers in France
This year I have become a member of a team of Engineering students who run a podcast called ‘Engenius’ which is part of the Engineers Without Borders society. I have planned and conducted interview with individuals to learn about their pioneering work and how they reached the point where they are today. In my first episode I interviewed Dr Sam Williamson. It was fascinating to hear about his research on the development of renewable energy microgrids in Nepal, using technologies for autonomous energy management. In my second episode I interviewed Dr Sabine Hauert, an assistant professor in the Bristol Robotics Laboratory. In the interview we discuss her research on swarm robotics and the use of nanobots in emerging methods of cancer treatment. The interviews can be found on Spotify under the name ‘Engenius’, or on the website; http://engeniuspod.org/.
