Hamed Elias Al Shaibani, a Ph.D graduate HBKU’s College of Science and Engineering has narrated how the university has helped discover himself.
Why did you choose HBKU and this particular degree programme?
After completing my master’s degree, I decided to pursue my academic dream by completing my higher education and receiving a PhD in an area related to my interest, which is computer science. The PhD programme at HBKU was very strongly recommended to me by my friends and family. The experience and knowledge they received were more than enough to ignite my interest in reading more about the PhD programme offered by HBKU and the choices it provides. I found that the curriculum would provide all the necessary courses and skill sets needed to achieve my goals and help me grow further.
How has your time at HBKU influenced your future plans?
When I started my journey, my research skills were limited and I lacked the necessary ability to criticise and deeply analyse scientific papers and other related works. However, as I progressed, I became aware that my skills were being sharpened and I found joy in research, where I had the opportunity to analyse, understand and identify potential solutions I could relate to and I was able to expand my knowledge further. HBKU helped me to discover the research aspect and interest I have, and I am now considering the academic path of lecturing and researching as a potential future plan for me to pursue.
What was the highlight of your time at HBKU?
I always used to think that it was extremely difficult to identify new problems and find efficient and novel solutions to address them. As I gradually progressed in the programme, I greatly appreciated the way my advisor and co-advisor always guided me to new ways of thinking and helped me gain new skills to achieve my research objectives. Without such support and advice, I would not have been able to gain the highest outcome in this programme. In short, the support of my colleagues, faculty members and the new friends I made allowed me to enjoy a unique experience.