"I had 5.0 GPA In 2 Consecutive Semester" - Best Female Engineering Graduating Student
Abdulbasit Abdulkareem
Can you briefly introduce yourself?
I am Mariam Sanni, the last child of a family of six. I come from a Muslim family.
Was OAU your choice from the start?
Yes
Was Chemical Engineering your choice from the start also?
Yes, it was
How many prizes did you win?
I won one on induction day and 6 on convocation day
Have you ever thought you were going to emerge as the best female graduating engineering student?
I have always worked towards finishing with a good first class, but I never expected that I'd emerge as the best female graduating student in the faculty.
How did you feel when you realized there was a probability of you emerging as the female Best Engineering Graduating Student and when it was finally announced?
It was honestly very shocking to me and I couldn't hold my tears in when I was called on stage to be celebrated
With a CGPA of 4.71 and 7 awards, what were the strategies you fashioned out to achieve this feat?
From my 100-level days, I constantly read overnight almost every day so that my courses didn't pile up. The library became my home during the days.
I made sure I was always asking questions both in class and from my classmates anytime I needed help.
I always set a goal at the beginning of the semester and made sure I worked hard enough to attain or even exceed my goals.
What motivated you to pursue engineering?
My passion for solving real-world problems
What was your study/reading pattern?
In 100l, I used to go to the library if I wasn't having classes. Then at night, after my Solat (around 8 pm), I rest a bit and go to lecture theatres to study overnight, before going back to rest before class the next day.
From 200l till now, since I moved from campus to maintenance hostels, I had to do my overnight sessions in my room.
Can you highlight a challenging project or course that you undertook during your studies and how you overcame obstacles to excel in it?
Yeah, there was a course I found challenging in 300l, CHE303(Transport Phenomena)
I didn't understand very well, I had to ask lots of questions, then asked one of my classmates to teach me the course. I ended up having the highest score of 92
As a female in a traditionally male-dominated field, have you faced any unique challenges, and how did you navigate them to achieve your academic goals?
As regards this, the only time I experienced any issue was in 100l when guys kept asking why I chose engineering as a female.
This just motivated me to do more and excel to prove that I'm capable enough to study engineering.
Do you engage in any extracurricular activities while on campus as a student?
Yeah!! For fun, I'm fond of cooking new recipes, particularly international dishes and I have an Instagram page where I post them.
Other extracurricular activities I volunteered in were with the Society of Petroleum Engineers(SPE OAU chapter as well as the section itself, SPE Lagos Section).
I also served as the media and sister chapter relations for the American Institute of Chemical Engineers(AIChE)(OAU chapter) for 2 years. In my final year, I served as the vice president of the AIChE OAU Chapter.
I participated in some competitions as well
My team and I competed and won the AIChE ChemEsports competition in 2020 and 2022.
My team and I also competed and won the SPE petroquiz competition in 2021.
In what ways do you believe your involvement in extracurricular activities or internships complemented your academic learning and contributed to your overall development as an engineer?
The extracurricular activities such as the competitions and conferences I attended, made me network with both students and professionals in the industry.
One of the competitions I participated in (The AIChE ChemEsports Competition), actually made me find what path of chemical engineering I'd like to further in, which is Process Engineering.
The ChemE-Sports competition is a simulated distillation operations competition on optimization and safety organized by AIChE. The competition leverages Virtual Reality technology and a Distributed Control System generously provided by PetroSkills - Simulation Solutions.
Competitors immerse themselves in multiple real-life scenarios commonly encountered in industrial plants. The challenge is to achieve a specific objective within a given timeframe. Scoring evaluates both the profitability and safety of the simulated unit, ensuring a comprehensive assessment of each team's performance.
Are there any professors or mentors who played a significant role in shaping your academic and professional journey? How did their guidance impact you?
Yeah, my project supervisor, Dr Bamimore
I initially had difficulties understanding what my project entailed. But he took the time to explain the basics, which was Non-linear Model Predictive Control(NMPC).
Engineering is a constantly evolving field. How do you stay updated with the latest advancements, and what role do you see continuous learning playing in your future career?
By actively reading industry publications, connecting with colleagues and professionals during conferences
As the best female engineering graduate, what advice do you have for aspiring female engineers who may be hesitant to pursue a career in this field?
As the best female engineering graduate, I understand the challenges and hesitations that aspiring female engineers may face. But a piece of advice I'd give would be to find role models and mentors in your field. Super grateful for having met Mrs Mistura Yusuf (nee Badru), a process engineer at Dangote Refineries, through SPE(Society of Petroleum Engineers). Her achievements, dedication, and motivation continually inspire me to want to do more.
What were your best and lowest moments as a student?
The best moment was when I had a 5.0 GPA in 2 consecutive semesters (Part 4 2nd semester and Part 5 1st semester).
My lowest moment was when I had my only ever non-A or B grade. This was in Part 3 second semester when I took CHM 202(Basic Organic Chemistry). I had difficulties understanding the course, and although I put in maximum effort I ended up having 47. That was my worst semester and my CGPA dropped drastically to a 4.57. From that semester, I knew I had to put in extra effort, which I did, and my CGPA continuously improved after that semester. Alhamdulillah
Looking ahead, what are your career aspirations, and how do you plan to contribute to the field of engineering in the future?
Looking ahead, I aspire to become a successful process engineer, specializing in the area of process design and optimization. I'm actively seeking research opportunities and internships to collaborate with experienced professionals and work on projects that push the boundaries of process optimization and pave the way for a cleaner and more efficient future.
What will you miss about OAU?
Probably the ambiance and the fact that you can walk around at any time on campus even at night without being scared as the environment is safe.
Then I'd miss all of the friends OAU blessed me with.
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