"The University of Bradford shaped me into becoming the scientist I am today"

Mryam graduated from our BEng Civil and Structural Engineering course, and is now the Founder of AlManakh Non-profit Organisation and a Certified Civil and Structural Engineer at the Ministry of Public Works, Kuwait.

This is her story.

Journey to Bradford
I chose to study at the University of Bradford because it was one of the top 15 universities in the UK for civil engineering and I wanted the opportunity to learn from the best in the field and to receive a good quality education.

My experience at the University of Bradford shaped me into becoming the scientist that I am today, it provided a great learning environment where I could be curious and innovation was encouraged. The professors really took the time to help me develop my knowledge and skills, which I greatly appreciate to this day.

Studying at the University of Bradford shaped my career and ambitions, and it allowed me to take the time to understand what I really wanted to do with my life and how I could achieve my goals.

During the third year of my programme, I took a module on sustainability in the built environment, which catapulted me into my current career in sustainability. It planted a seed which now has turned into a passion, as I now run a non-profit organisation that provides research, education and training on climate change and sustainability in my home country of Kuwait.

Most of my research and work has been related to sustainability in the built environment, and I am proud to say that this passion resulted directly from my education at Bradford.

Finding work
I went into the engineering and construction industry and it was not difficult to find an ideal post-graduation job related to my field. However, in Kuwait sustainability is not commonly considered within the profession therefore I had to get accredited and push for sustainable practices to be included in my current job. However, starting my own non-profit gave me the opportunity to work on passion projects and to help develop the conversation within the community regarding sustainable practices and solutions.

My current role
My job as a LEED certified civil and structural engineer requires the following: Preparing structural and architectural designs, reports, drawings and renderings. Coordinating with team members of project delivery.

Student life
I was a member of the hiking club, hiking with the group was one of the best experiences I had at Bradford. It really helped my mental health at the time and made me fall in love with hiking.