Vignesh Prabakaran (25), from Chennai in India, will today graduate with an MSc in Oil and Gas Engineering after 18 months of hard work.
Vignesh, who already has a BTech in Chemical Engineering from Anna University in Tamil Nadu, arrived in Aberdeen to begin his studies in January 2019.
“I chose to study in Aberdeen because it is one of the top universities for oil and gas engineering in the world,” he said. “It has the best teaching and gives a wide exposure to the oil industry.”
As an international student, Vignesh faced a number of social and cultural challenges when he arrived in the North-east.
“I suffered from homesickness – I was adapting to a new culture, a change of environment and a new method of learning. Food was also so different. To overcome some of these issues, I started cooking by myself which helped me a lot.
“I would also go for walks to admire the beauty of nature in Aberdeen and used to spend time in Seaton Park, which helped me to overcome my homesickness, as did meditation and photography, which is my passion.
“Graduating with a Master’s degree in oil and gas engineering is my dream come true – I can hardly explain how happy I am after my initial struggles. Aberdeen University supports each and every student by understanding their problems and mental situations.”
Vignesh is now hoping to get a job in his field, which will allow him the opportunity to pursue research on a range of topics of particular interest to him, such as sustainability and renewable energy.