Alihan from The Netherlands
Personal information
Name: Alihan Uzun
Age: 23 years old
Original from: Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, The Netherlands
Current residence: Delft
My name is Alihan Uzun, I am 23 years old and I come from Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, a small village near Dordrecht in the Netherlands. I completed my studies in System Engineering and Policy Analysis (Technische Bestuurskunde (TB)) at TU Delft, where I learned the important life lesson that starting on time always pays off, and procrastination is never a good idea. Additionally, I realized the importance of choosing the easier path when it comes to projects, topic selections and exam questions.
CoSEM is a natural choice for many TB students, alongside EPA, as it aligns with the bachelor's programme. I already felt at home with the faculty, professors and the field. In my view, CoSEM is an extension of TB, and I aim to obtain my engineering title as a complex systems engineer. The topics I engage in within the CoSEM programme are always diverse. Currently, I am taking courses on macroeconomics, statistical analysis and soon a transportation course. The course that intrigued me the most was Design Project, where we examined the implementation of electric charging stations from the perspectives of technology, legal, economic, and stakeholders’ interests. This provided a holistic view, requiring the linking of all disciplines. Other interesting projects spanned various disciplines, such as Engineering Smart Grids for TenneT, Multi-Actor Decision Making of Amsterdam’s Noord/Zuidlijn, and Law & Institutions on the Paris Agreement. I will start my thesis after my exchange programme in Istanbul.
At the most social faculty of TU Delft, I've learned to understand complex issues in both quantitative and qualitative ways. I've executed dozens of projects in the public domains of energy, transport and data. As a systems engineer, I further developed my skills in critical thinking and argumentation during my minor in Rhetoric at Leiden University, focusing on persuasive speaking and writing.
While developing in the academic world, I am deeply involved in society. My experiences as an entrepreneur of my own nominated workshop 'My Dream CV' for MBO students, along with my involvement in the student association MSA NL and interreligious collaborations, have strengthened my social and political sensitivity. I am not just an engineering student creating models behind a laptop; I actively aim to have an impact on society.
My goal is to become an interdisciplinary engineer who uniquely analyses and solves societal problems, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative skills. This could lead to a future in consultancy or public administration.
I would recommend CoSEM to students who want to become engineers without solely focusing on a closed physical system, vehicle, or product. Instead, they want to take a holistic view of technical societal challenges.