EMPIRICAL – Unleash the Potential
Nanduni Upendra, Secretary for IEEE University of Peradeniya Student Branch
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” -Harriet Tubman
Engineering is one of the key influences that shape society by using models provided by science combined with innovative thinking to solve problems and create new designs that benefit humanity. As engineering undergraduates, despite the knowledge acquired through the degree, do they have the right temperament to be an engineer with certain characteristics and typical qualities is an authentic question. As a timely solution, a panel discussion ‘Empirical’- The life story of an engineer was organized with 4 professionals who have excelled in their fields by the IEEE Student Branch in collaboration with the IEEE Women in Engineering Affinity group at the University of Peradeniya. It was held on 3rd March 2021 from 3PM onwards via zoom and the discussion was based on the life story of an engineer from academic life to the next step they have taken after graduating.
The audience had the opportunity to meet the panelists, who are well proficient and skilled along with many experiences. Prof. J.B. Ekanayake, Dr. Ruwan Ranaweera, Dr. Maheshi Dissanayake, and Eng. Anuradha Udunuwara were the four intellectuals who participated as the panelists of the day, being four proud products of the University of Peradeniya. The session was carried out in three stages discussing life as an undergraduate and the steps taken after graduating, the momentousness of IEEE membership as an engineering undergraduate, and finally, the opportunity to interact with the esteemed professionals in the Q&A session.
About 100 audiences consisting of undergraduates and graduates participated in the webinar, and each and every question raised by the audience during the Q&A session seemed to be unique and enthusiastic. How to strengthen your knowledge and develop skills persistently, how to adapt to the rapidly changing corporate world to move ahead productively, and how to recognize your career opportunities on your path effectively were the main focus areas covered during the discussion. “If you are passionate about what you do, you will achieve what you want, so develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.” was main highlight of the session. The valuable time devoted by the panelists along with the appreciable engagement in conversations of students who participated made the event a great success and hopefully gave the undergraduates the best insight into the role of an engineer in different aspects to unleash their potentials and be corporeal engineers.