Nawal Alisya is currently studying Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College London and will be graduating in 2027. This personal statement was part of her successful application to Imperial College London, University College London, University of Manchester and University of Bristol.
The gradual failure of a fuse pin due to metal fatigue was the root of the Bijlmer Disaster. This led Boeing to strengthen all 747 engine-to-wing attachments and introduce a more meticulous regimen of using ultrasound to detect metal fatigue. My love for engineering was sparked by the Air Crash Investigation documentary series. It amazed me how the principles of mechanics, complex physics and mathematical concepts were applied to improve systems which ensure the safety of millions. The systematic yet innovative ways engineers solve problems inspired me to follow in their footsteps. This led me down a rabbit hole on topics of interest like how the ground proximity warning system works by comparing live altimeter readings to terrain data.
I had my first taste of Mechanical Engineering when I entered the Malaysian Young Inventors Exhibition. My team designed a shoe that converts the kinetic energy of our steps to electrical energy. After researching, designing and prototyping, we decided to place piezos on the sole of the shoe and connect them to a power bank. We successfully generated electricity but our piezos often cracked under pressure. Persevering, we reassessed our design and decided to add padding on both sides of the piezo disc. This did the trick and won us Bronze! I was still dissatisfied with our shoes’ efficiency so I read up on alternative methods of generating electricity from kinetic energy and settled on reverse electrowetting technology in the Nature Communications journal. From this experience, I understood the importance of learning from our failures and always striving to improve our products.
Mounting public pressure and stringent climate policies have pushed the aviation industry to actively seek ways to reduce its carbon footprint. During my internship at Malaysia Airlines, I learned that their engineers were tasked with designing a wing tip attachment for their fleet to reduce fuel consumption. This led me to search for updates on the latest wing tip technology and discovered AlbatrossOne – an airbus prototype using semi-aeroelastic hinged wing tips that aid gust load alleviation and reduces drag, thus decreasing fuel burnt. When the brake on the free hinge is released and the centre of gravity of the wing tip is inward to the centre of lift, the shear force would be negative and the wing root moment would be minimised. In my opinion, these hinged wing tips should be used alongside active load alleviation systems utilising flaps and ailerons. The downside, however, is that current aircraft autologous systems see a time lag between external commands and control surface response. My suggestion stems from a paper by the International Forum on Aeroelasticity and Structural Dynamics. Through my work shadow, I recognised that engineers are required to balance efficient design with time and profit whilst ensuring safety. I also learned how to analyse manuals and annotate technical diagrams while identifying how each component works. I was impressed by the engineers’ eye for detail as they sternly shouldered the responsibility for passengers’ lives. This reaffirmed my decision to read Mechanical Engineering as I saw its impactful altruism firsthand.
Participating in the St Andrew’s Maths Challenge and obtaining merit for IMONST1, I practised solving problems by applying mathematical theories. By using Lego Mindstorms in Robotics Club, I was able to experiment and give life to my ideas. Further exploring my creativity, I was awarded Silver in the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition. Lastly, I expanded my leadership as I learned to steer individual talents toward a common goal during my term as Head Girl. My aspiration to study Mechanical Engineering for the betterment of people’s lives and the planet may seem audacious but will be realised through my commitment to boundary-breaking innovation.
DISCLAIMER: The personal statements on this site are strictly meant as a starting point to give an idea of how successful personal statements look like. There is no surefire formula to writing good personal statements. COLLEGELAH IS STRICTLY AGAINST PLAGIARISM OF ANY KIND. UCAS employs a plagiarism check system that checks applicants’ work against other published writing so please DO NOT PLAGIARISE.