Student Profiles
Saurabh Ambre graduated in MSc Automotive and Motorsport Engineering in November 2012
Why did you decide to study at Brunel?
I am an ardent Formula one aficionado, but specializing merely in Motorsport engineering would restrict my learning capabilities. Brunel University is the only institute to offer a Masters course in Automotive and Motorsport Engineering, a course with modules from both streams. Brunel has a practical approach towards education as students are given an opportunity to work together in teams to build a single seat race car for Formula Student competition. This assists students in thinking out of the box and inventing new possibilities. The course enables students to spend time at the race track during several motorsport events. The exposure received and the interaction with automotive companies also benefits ones' career. Brunel University was amongst the first few UK Universities to enter the Formula Student competition and has won awards every year since 1999.
About Formula Student team and Brunel Masters Motorsport:
Formula Student is one of the recognized educational motorsport events. The competition is run by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and it aims to inspire young Engineers by challenging them to design, manufacture and test a race car. The teams are scrutinized on their vehicle design and business strategy.
At Brunel, I led a team of 20 post graduate Engineers from 8 different countries in developing a single seat race car for the Formula Student UK competition in 2012. Strong leadership tact and managerial skills are characteristics that I have both inherited and also trained while studying for this course. During my role as team principal of Brunel Master Motorsport (BMM-8), I was able to recognise my strengths and weaknesses showcase my talents but more importantly learn from my mistakes. Due to the valuable inputs and efforts from all members, the team accomplished 3rd place in the competition.
Career opportunities:
The progress of the alumni speaks volumes about Brunel graduate employability. Brunel has been the recipient of the Best Placement award for two consecutive years (2010-11). The job shop and the career fairs provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their potential and to seek a placement in the organization of their choice. These facts reinforced my decision to be a part of this prestigious institute. Despite the change in visa restrictions, the job shop at Brunel take efforts in helping international students with CV writing skills and job applications.
What do you like about studying at Brunel?
Universities amenities: Brunel University extends their boundaries to provide numerous facilities in order to make the students feel comfortable. The staff at the university is student friendly and highly responsive with all queries. Technology is extensively used throughout the university however I admire how Brunel University effectively maintains low carbon emissions. The university was awarded the Carbon Trust Award in 2011 for improvement in carbon efficiency. There are generous facilities like twenty-four hour library services, on campus shops, and banking services. A particular favourite of mine is the weekly on-campus Tuesday vegetable market where you can buy vegetables, fruits, meat, etc, and is open to all students and staff. Brunel creatively keeps student life cost effective, convenient, and it enables students to save valuable time during busy course work.
What is your opinion of the university accommodation?
Brunel's diverse student population comprises of students from various nationalities. Therefore to acquire greater knowledge of different cultures I opted for on-campus accommodation. Living on campus is a remarkable experience as cultural exchange enriches one's knowledge of the world and also helps in understanding how different minds work under different circumstances.
What advice would you give to a new student at Brunel?
I would recommend every international student to definitely apply for the Brunel international scholarship award; it is worth your effort and time. I was awarded the Scholarship in 2010/2011. The scholarship award not only gives financial support, but it also helps in gaining confidence and in enhancing one’s writing skills. I applied for the scholarship award by following the guidelines provided by the University and tips given by previous scholarship winners.
Tips: Mention your achievements and describe how your achievements will help you in contributing to the University. Carry out thorough research on the University and on your course, and make sure to express your dedication to be a part of the University.
After Brunel University
My principal goal is to work towards academic excellence and broaden my horizon as a keen learner and lover of technology. I want to pursue my career in the world of Automotive / Motorsport and would like to dedicate my work towards efficient technologies without compromising performance. I would like to dedicate my engineering skills in developing innovative products / concepts for future development in the automotive industry.
I am currently training on automated CNC machines required for manufacturing processes in the automotive industry. I have a few job offers from International companies based in India, but have still yet to decide.
Yash Pathare (on the right of the adjacent picture) is a former MSc student in Automotive and Motorsport Engineering
Since childhood, I was interested in the field of Motorsports. I was always fascinated by the engineering involved in making fast cars. This is why I opted to study Mechanical Engineering after finishing high school. My undergraduate degree was in Mechanical Engineering. I completed it at Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology (affiliated to the University of Mumbai, India). I passed with distinction in June 2006. Mechanical Engineering made me realise how much detailed thinking is involved in designing and manufacturing every single component that fits in a modern automobile. The obvious choice for me then was to take up a postgraduate course in Automotive and Motorsport Engineering, to learn more about the science of making cars.
I enrolled on the MSc in Automotive and Motorsport Engineering course at Brunel in September 2006. A little internet research brought the name of Brunel University to the fore as an ideal University to undertake a course in Engineering. My criteria for choosing a University were pretty straightforward - a course content that would give me the chance to learn as many new things as possible, a University that holds a good reputation for Engineering, and a place where I will have all the necessary facilities to progress. Since Brunel University satisfied all these criteria, I chose Brunel.
I believe one of the most important things that the course has taught me, is to be responsible, and learn to take decisions quickly and efficiently. Being involved in the Formula Student project, I also learnt how much detailed thinking goes into the designing of each component and thereafter, the feasibility of manufacturing the design. For me, the most important aspect of the course was the opportunity to gain practical knowledge by building a race car through the University's involvement in Formula Student. Also, it has emphasised the benefits of having a brilliant team of individuals, rather than having a team of brilliant individuals. This course has highlighted the importance of people skills, since I had the opportunity to work with students from different cultural and educational backgrounds. And I am sure this experience will be helpful to me in the future. Finally, interacting with suppliers on a daily basis has given me an insight into the Motorsport Industry. Indeed, this course has given me much more than textbook knowledge.
Brunel University provides an ideal atmosphere for learning. The location of the University is such that one can concentrate on studies throughout the week and then enjoy the weekend in Central London which is easily accessible from the University. The campus itself is a fantastic place to be, with a Café, Bar and Nightclub located at the centre of the campus. Some of the facilities on campus are extraordinary, like the massive Sports Arena and the numerous halls of residences, which provide excellent housing facilities.
Although the popularity of Motorsports is rising in India, it is not yet fully developed to the extent of providing education in the field of Motorsport Engineering. This meant I had to look at studying abroad as a possible option. A little internet research quickly confirmed to me that UK was the best place to do a postgraduate course in Motorsport Engineering, because of the facilities available for international students. The fact that almost 8 out of 10 Formula One teams are based in the UK establishes that the UK is indeed the hub for Motorsports. So far, it has been only about a year that I have been in this country, but I have learnt so much already about the Motorsport industry here. I have been to track days with friends and been to a couple of races on famous circuits like Brands Hatch and Silverstone.
One of the most difficult things for an international student is to settle down into a rhythm to focus on studies. At Brunel, everything was made to seem easy right from the very beginning. The arrival packs from the International Centre provided useful guidance about the neighbourhood and things like shopping, eating and travelling and the staff in Brunel are always willing to help. It really amazed me that they had thought of almost every aspect relating to the needs of an international student, trying their best to make students like me feel completely at home. Indeed, the long experience of dealing with students shows. I am glad that I chose to continue my higher education at Brunel University, because in addition to being one of the top ranked Engineering Universities in the country, it is also one of the friendliest!
Brunel Masters Motorsports is the Formula Student team of Brunel University. Being in its third year, the team is comprised of 21 students from different countries all over the world, who work in unison to achieve the ultimate objective of building a Formula Student race car. Being Team Principal of the BMM team, it is my responsibility to motivate and guide the team to achieve its objective of successfully building a race car in the given time. Given that the team is formed in October every year, it is a remarkable feat that the entire car is designed and built in eight short months. My duties include the co-ordination of different groups within the team (such as the Powertrain, Chassis, Driver Controls, and Suspension groups) to ensure effective communication during designing and manufacturing. Apart from this, I have also designed the entire intake and exhaust systems on the car to optimise performance from the engine. In addition, I have to liaise with suppliers to ensure that the manufacturing gets completed in time with minimum possible delays.
My final project, as part of the course, was carried out at Toyota Motorsport GmbH in Germany over a period of seven months. The project dealt with developing and testing race strategies for the Panasonic-Toyota Formula 1 team. Following this, I landed a full-time job at Toyota Motorsport GmbH, Germany to work for the Panasonic Toyota Formula 1 Team as Race Strategy/Performance Engineer within the Race and Test Track Engineering Deptartment.
This course has helped me live a part of my dream, and the time has come now to translate this dream into a reality. I believe I possess the right attitude and the right combination of reality and optimism to work in an environment where the focus is not just on meeting deadlines, but beating them.
To summarise, I would encourage aspiring Automotive/Motorsport Engineers to study at Brunel because the course teaches you to be independent and responsible. It teaches you the practicalities of building a race car through the Formula Student competition, which in my view is much more important than textbook knowledge. All in all, I think studying at Brunel was a fantastic experience for me, and has prepared me to face the challenges of pursuing a career in the Motorsport Industry.
Albert Lau (United States of America) MSc Automotive and Motorsports Engineering
Educational Background
- Master of Science – Aeronautics and Astronautics – Stanford University
- Bachelor of Science – Aerospace Engineering – University of California, Los Angeles
Current Employment
- Design/Data Engineer – West Surrey Racing
I chose to study at Brunel because the Motorsport course offered was unique. There are very few comparable courses available. The Motorsport course not only teaches the engineering principles behind building a racecar but also other aspects of the sport that are usually not studied in depth at other universities.
As the Automotive and Motorsport MSc was a new course this past year, there were bound to be teething problems. However, the key to making the first year a success was the support of the university and the determination of the students. To shore up areas where the lecturers did not have adequate industry experience, the university brought in guest speakers. The one guest lecture that stands out has to be the one regarding sponsorship. It was a topic where the only way for the students to learn is to be taught by people that are in the real world doing it day in day out.
The lecturers understand the importance of being constantly in contact with industry. They knew that the only way for us to prepare for working in industry was to be in contact with it as soon as possible. A prime example of this is the Autosport show in Birmingham. It is the single event each year that brings together every facet of the motorsport community. The university knew the importance of this and provided the means for all of the students to take part.
In this first year, the lecturers were very receptive to our new ideas regarding the course. By being open to student feedback, they better understood our needs and what we wanted out of the course. During the initial weeks of the course when forming our Formula Student team; we rearranged the team structure as we saw fit and the university adjusted their academic group projects likewise. This kind of latitude is not generally found at most universities.
The Formula Student project is, in my opinion, the single greatest engineering exercise because it has value. Value because it is a year long project that mimics the real world industry in every shape and form. The project is not only an engineering design exercise but one of business and team management as well. The teams are created with a hierarchical structure not dissimilar to professional race teams. They work to a schedule and budget and are expected to promote their own team image through marketing and sponsorship. On top of all this, the teams have to design, manufacture, and race a one-off prototype race car in the span of one year. No other student project comes close to replicating the real world than does Formula Student. The skills that I learned and the experiences that I gained were integral in making myself marketable to the motorsports industry.
While finishing up my degree course at Brunel, through the links that we acquired with industry, I was offered a position at a leading British Touring Car team, West Surrey Racing. I feel that I have accomplished all the goals that I set for myself when I arrived at Brunel; the university has provided me with a strong foundation on which to build a successful career.
