PhD candidate Juwel Chandra Mojumder, School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, recently took the opportunity to complete a placement at engineering products manufacturer Howden in Brisbane. He worked on their Ventsim CONTROL software, which is used for controlling the airflow and ventilation in mines.
Juwel said he wanted to explore an industry placement to “apply my computational knowledge in real-life problems.”
Juwel was fortunate enough to find his placement at Howden through his advisors. “They recommended strongly getting a position there, as the company values collaboration, innovation and integrity,” he said.
While at Howden, Juwel was able to work closely with mine-ventilation software engineers to investigate the background theory/model, which is a numerical algorithm for mining software.
“I did comparative analysis for fire, water/air flow using simulation tools, and proposed some new techniques for future software development,” he said.
Juwel also participated regularly in meetings, where he and his colleagues updated each other on progress and shared best practices.
“The organisational skills I developed at UQ greatly helped me to follow up my to-do list. Developing transferable and professional skills and applying them in real life is an important aspect of any PhD,” he said.
Juwel thinks his time at Howden was a valuable experience.
“I have obtained advanced engineering knowledge and an understanding of the industrial working environment.
“I have also developed quick problem-solving skills by being able to adapt to new technology and environments,” he said.
If you are a UQ HDR candidate and would like to explore your placement opportunities, attend an information session to learn more about the program.
