Surawoot Tanasen

My RAU experience

I have a background in manufacturing engineering and was in the final year of my BEng in Industrial Control Engineering, where I designed and built a cloud-based automated hydroponics system for my project. I began to discover that I wanted to work more in the agricultural space and with "living things." This prompted me to look for a course that could serve as a link between engineering and agriculture. I discovered this course at RAU and after reviewing the modules, teaching team, and history, both the course and institution seemed to be a wonderful fit.

One of my favourite highlights was the workshop held by RAU and the Tropical Agriculture Association (TAA), which was headed by Dr Patricia Mathabe. The day included presentations from representatives of the RAU community, the TAA, and the AHDB. Master's students were given the opportunity to present their research projects, and it was here that I was able to speak about mine in front of an audience and receive feedback from extremely experienced, knowledgeable, and informed individuals.

What I gained from the RAU 

There are many things that I enjoyed whilst studying at the university. Namely the sense of community here, the situation and architecture of the university as well as the offer of sports and societies which enabled me to try something new. An example of which was the RAU Polo Club where I competed in the winter league and SUPA Summer Nationals.

My long-term career goal is to work in agricultural technology, whether in engineering and design or professional services. As someone who does not come from a typical agricultural background, the RAU has not only academically contributed in increasing my understanding of agriculture, but the student services have also aided in proving my CVs for job searches and providing guidance on various pathways to attain my goals.