MEng Mechanical Engineering, 2021

I spent the two years between high school and University training as an elite athlete in Canmore, Alberta, Canada. I competed internationally in cross-country skiing and in the off season I would run, hike and road and mountain bike.

I also worked in a bicycle shop as a salesperson and mechanic which furthered my interest in cycling and learnt about how bicycles work and how they can be improved.

I visited Scotland in the 2015 and fell in love with the Highlands and the city and I set a goal that one day I would live in Edinburgh.

I was inspired to engineering once I understood that my bicycle worked better when I oiled the chain. I gained great satisfaction from the mechanical problem-solving while also cycling more, as my bike was rarely broken.

I was also interested in how bicycles are improved through innovative engineering ideas. I developed a real interest in carbon fibre frames, suspension systems and bearings and used this knowledge to lighten my bicycles and improve them.

Bicycles have inspired me because I can touch and feel the effects of the engineering within them while I am pursuing my passion for the sport.