Life as a Management and Information Systems MSc student

Cranfield University has empowered me to achieve technical proficiency in Information Technology and vocational stability in Manufacturing. Coming from a background in Library Science, I never imagined achieving such a significant milestone. However, Cranfield has equipped me and broadened my horizons of thought. This has definitely been a highlight from my time here at Cranfield.

My Group Project was titled ‘Identifying the Best Practices in Foundation Industries’ and aimed to pinpoint optimal methods for revolutionizing foundation industries. This has been achieved by creating process flow charts and determining the most effective practices for each industry. In pursuit of this objective, the following list of goals was considered:

• Create process flow charts encompassing material, energy, and emissions for foundation industries.
• Ascertain the best practices for achieving higher resource efficiency and lower emissions at the process level.
• Identify resource-intensive processes based on their commonality across foundation industries. We also worked closely with the sponsor of the project which was Transfire.

My Individual Research Project was also sponsored by industry by a company called Foseco International Limited. The projects was titled ‘2023 Path to Net Zero in Smart Foundries-Implementation’. This research aims to create a model-driven approach for foundries to identify and visualize energy flows, identify energy hot-spots, and reduce energy consumption and CO₂ emissions.  This has been achieved by the following objectives:

• Identification of two representative foundries and collecting environmental footprint data.
• Familiarity with the visualization capabilities of the bespoke toolkit.
• Implement carbon footprint visualization streams.
• Implement an inventory of energy input data to calculate process step energy consumption & carbon dioxide emission according to specification provided by the modelling twin project.
• Implementation of mathematical models to estimate energy consumption & carbon equivalent emission of process steps provided by the modelling project.
• Substitution of the visualization features at point 3 with the modelled values (with the user providing the inputs necessary for the models).
• Validation of the bespoke toolkit (e.g., Usability)

Engaging in these projects provided me with a valuable opportunity to collaborate with the industry and address actual challenges it faces. It has profoundly raised my awareness of the critical global issues, particularly the impact of CO₂ emissions on our planet. Equipped with this newfound knowledge, I am committed to advocating for sustainability and advocating for a clear path towards achieving net-zero emissions, particularly within the manufacturing sector, which stands as one of the most resource-intensive industries.

There are lots of great facilities on campus many of which have played a pivotal role in various aspects of my university experience. Cranfield University’s provision of religious facilities has significantly contributed to my ability to engage in prayers without any obstacles, for which I am sincerely grateful. Cranfield’s IT facilities and library resources have been valuable assets to me throughout my academic journey. I’ve taken full advantage of these resources and attended numerous career development training sessions, which I truly appreciate and have had a positive impact on my studies and overall experience.

As I near the end of my studies here at Cranfield, I look to the future and I am eager to further explore the realms of data analytics and sustainability. Both of which constitute integral components of the knowledge I’ve gained during my time here.

My advice to future students arriving at Cranfield, would be to approach your studies with a strong sense of dedication and hard work. You should also prioritise your academic commitments and remain focused on their studies with unwavering concentration.

I look forward to keeping you updated on what I get up to after leaving Cranfield and am already looking forward to being back on campus in June 2024 for the Graduation ceremony.