Profile
Sufia Fatima
Curriculum Vitae
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Education:
Margaret McMillan Primary School ( age 5-11), Belle Vue Girls’ High School (age 11-18) University of Bradford (age-19-23) University of Leeds (age 24-currently still here)
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Qualifications:
MEng Medical Engineering (Mechanical Based) First Class Honours, GCE A Levels: Mathematics [B], Media Studies [B] and Chemistry [C] GCSEs: 12 Subjects [1A*, 2As, 9Bs and 1C] Including Mathematics, English Literature and English Language and Science Double Award
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Work History:
University of Bradford as a Note Taker, and working during freshers week. I also worked one summer in Hallmarks Card factory.
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Current Job:
Post Graduate Student
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Employer:
University of Leeds
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I live in Bradford with my family. I come from a large family of 8 siblings including me which has now provided me with lots and lots of nephew and nieces as I am the second youngest.
There are three things I love to do apart from studying engineering and those are painting/drawing, watching lots of tv shows and reading books. I always aim to finish 25 books per year and have been doing this for the past couple of years. One of my all-time favourite book series is Harry Potter.
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My Work
Making Stainless Steel slippery to reduce friction
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My work is inspired by looking and dissecting how amazing the human body is. In a healthy, body bones move next to each other without rubbing against each other and they do this by having a slippery substance binding to the surface.
So I took a stainless steel disk which is hard metal used for vaccination needles and by covering the surface with polymers I can make the surface slippery in water so when needles are inserted in the human body the idea is it wouldn’t hurt as much.
I use UV light to join my polymers to the surfaces.
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My day normally starts by waking up at 7 and getting to work for 9.
First thing I do when I get in is check emails. I then spend most mornings reading journal papers to understand what is happening in my research area. i have lunch around 12:30.
I then spend my afternoons in the labs using UV light to put polymers onto stainless steel disks to make them slippery, if I’m not putting polymers on my samples I’m looking at the properties of these polymers using different machines such as microscopes.
I finish work at 5 then I go to the gym. Before bed, I might read another paper and I tend to briefly outline my plan for the next day especially the afternoon work.
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For me its early interventions about getting engineering out there. I would want to use the money to create a STEM clubs for younger years across as many schools that don’t have this in place. I also want to show everyone engineering is more than just cars. So these clubs will be more targeted at promoting the other engineering branches such as medical engineering. creating a plastic prosthetic for those with loss of limbs.
I know nothing about cars (except the mini cooper) and I am an engineer. An engineer is more than mechanics.
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Smiley, creative and hard-working
What's the best thing you've done in your career?
So far my research I hope. Or getting a first for my undergraduate degree.
What or who inspired you to follow your career?
The human body. Thats what intrigued me to study medical engineering. People are living for longer and I believe by using technology we can advance peoples lives.
What was your favourite subject at school?
Art during GCSE and Media Studies during A levels.
What did you want to be after you left school?
I went on to study Medical Engineering at University of Bradford
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Every year of high school so from year 7 to 11, I always got one detention. It was just the one but it was always for talking to much.
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
Something creative either Art or Media Studies
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Rihanna
What's your favourite food?
Ice cream. Any flavor but I'm partial to mint chocolate chip and i can eat it any time of year.
What is the most fun thing you've done?
Go Ape!
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
I wish I drove a BMW mini Cooper (2003 model i.e the one from The Italian Job remake).
Tell us a joke.
Why were the witches wearing name tags at the party? So they could tell which witch was which.
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