Tazkeer Mohammed Absar’s favourite subjects are physics and mathematics. The latter in particular, he says, because it is practical and informative, and inspired him to explore concepts and ideas outside of class. “It also allowed me to develop a further interest in the subject, as well as a passion for Industrial engineering,” says the 18-year-old from Bangladesh.
As for extracurriculars, he enjoys chess and basketball, and “preserving the local environment around me”. Keen to do his bit for the environment, he joined the Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) while studying in the UAE.
His dream is to graduate as an engineer to help contribute to change in the future by testing his capabilities to bring positive development and innovation with sustainability.
“Developing efficient and green processes in the industrial field are something I have always dreamt of doing,” says the undergraduate Industrial Engineering student at Penn State University.
Excerpts from an interview:
Why did you choose Industrial Engineering?
Being able to help reduce waste in the surrounding environment using physics concepts and theories is my dream. This fascination led me to explore how industrial processes can be more sustainable, blossoming into a passion for physics and engineering. Hence, this led me to choose Industrial engineering as a career.
What were five of the best pieces of advice your mentors at Hale gave you when preparing your application for college admissions?
Plan early: This is the most vital advice my mentors at Hale have provided me. Planning early allows every student, including myself, to prepare to get all necessary action items completed in time or early to complete the next step of the process. Hence, the earlier, the better.
Never lie or exaggerate in an essay: This advice shocked me at the beginning of my essay writing. I always thought that I should make myself look like the most ideal student the world can offer for a university.
However, Hale suggested otherwise, because universities want to get to know you better through essays instead of only academics and extra-curricular activities.
Take time in writing your essays: This advice helped not only me but others too, to gradually improve their essays in all ways possible, taking it nice and slow will help you achieve an excellent university essay whether it’s your personal statement or university essays.
The worst thing you can do to yourself is to rush the essay writing or write everything the night before.
Aim for early application deadlines: Having this deadline in mind helped me get all my applications finished on time despite the choice of having regular or early decisions for particular universities.
Be extra careful when filling out your application portals: This piece of advice is extremely important. Being careful when filling out portals helps avoid any mistakes that need to be corrected, and this can also help maximise your acceptance.
Do you think your passion for chess is helping you in your studies?
Yes, I do. Chess is a game of kings and the king of games. The idea of infinite openings on a single eight-by-eight board always amazes me. The anticipation of achieving checkmate in any time or place gives a sense of domination, a call to battle.
Ever since I joined the Sharjah International Chess Academy (SICA), the game of chess has helped me develop new perspectives in academics. It also allowed me to fully grasp my understanding in all kinds of studies, and helped me progress towards my academic goals at the time of my high school education.
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