KUCHING: “All is well” is a quote that 23-year-old engineering student Ryan Adler Tan lives by for a better life.
The young lad, who majors in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), received the Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM) Gold Medal Awards 2022 at the recently concluded IEM Annual Dinner and Awards Night in Kuala Lumpur.
The awards are presented to the most outstanding engineering students in local universities every year and Tan was the best final year engineering student from the Faculty of Engineering, Unimas.
Sharing his success story with New Sarawak Tribune, he said he would set a target every semester according to his ability and his expectations to ensure that he keep up with the target.
“I would not say that I have the best academic results per se but I managed to keep my results consistent every semester in terms of academics.
“I would try my best to stay focused during lectures and make sure that the outcome of given projects was the best possible,” he said.
According to Tan, besides doing well in examinations and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses, joining student organisations also helped harness his soft skills.
Being the vice chairman and president of the IEM-SAFE Student Section UNIMAS, The Engineering Association of Mechanical Students and UNIMAS Debating Society also helped him to develop his management, critical thinking and communication skills.
“If I have any issues with my studies, I would consult my family, lecturers and friends,” he said.
Tan thanked his loved ones for their emotional and physical support.
“My lecturers also guided me and gave me the flexibility to do what I wanted.
“I also have the most understanding group of friends that allowed me to keep up with the challenges.”
Tan advised fellow students to just stay focused and ask questions should they face any problems in their academics.
He also encouraged them to move beyond their comfort zone and explore further what the world had to offer.
“The world sadly does not revolve only around the things we learn in class.
“Although you need to be good in your studies, you should also try something new to gain new experience and skill set,” he added.
So, what’s next for Tan? He says he wants to enter the workforce but is still exploring other opportunities to get firsthand experience on the ground.
“I think the industry is heavily reliant on people with experiences,” he added.
