Thursday, December 27, 2007

Year 3, Sem 1 Modules

Project (EE2001) - A-

Okay..Don't ask me how! I guess my group was - to put it simply - awesome!! Well, this is one of the most important modules in our engineering course. Weighed at 6MCs, this module has the effect of tipping your CAP towards the grade you get in it. The theme for our project this time was - Airport of the Future. Well, the beauty of this module is that there are absolutely no lectures and no tutorials. As the description says, it is simply a project module. You are given a theme, a budget (of SGD400) and a tutor to guide you along the way. No restrictions on imagination. No so-called 'guidelines.' So in some ways, its awesome and in other ways, its just plain scary.
This is a group project - with 4/3 team mates. So yeah, firstly choose people you're comfortable working with. Long hours are inevitable and having friends with whom you can converse comfortably - whose recreational interests are similar to yours (listening to songs) matter a lot. Secondly, take your tutor into confidence. Use him. Our tutor (Mr. Sahoo) was amazing and he was always there to guide us, answer our questions and give useful feedback. Mr Henry Tan (who was the co-ordinator) was also equally amazing. Befriending the helpful lab-technician isn't too bad either. We actually went to the airport, saw the entire place from a new angle and then drafted out our ideas for implementation - which we discussed with our tutor. He helped us eliminate a few and gave us new ideas as well. One thing to remember is that the CAs inbetween are as important as your final product. Make your submissions on time, let your imagination roam and you're sure to ace this one. Knowing a little VB will definitely help - and yeah..use toys! They're the easiest ways to make things in your project look cool and work well.

Engineering Professionalism (EG2401) - A

Well, its a 3MC module that's all about Engineering Ethics. 'Dya want me to say more? Well, yeah, its one of those modules which you've got to study - stuff about ethical situations you may face in your workplace - that kinda thing. Its very intuitive. Therez a major project - which is group teamwork as well. (Thanks to my wonderful team-mates here as well!) Our project was on Global Warming - how it is a pressing environmental ethical issue which engineers face today. If you are really interested though, theres a lot of interesting stuff that you can learn.

Bio-Instrumentation and Signal Analysis (EE3601) - A-

If you're someone with a slightly good bio background and have an ability to mug stuff - this is the module for you! Highly scoring and pretty interesting too. You learn quite a lot about the emerging field of Bio-medical engineering and some really interesting stuff about how engineers can contribute to the instrumentation systems - like the BCI - or the brain computer interface. Stephen Hawking uses one such system and if you're really into the subject, there are some wonderful books in the library to read! The Indian lecturer is very friendly too! :-)

Integrated Analog IC design (EE3408) - B+

Well, if you think itz going to be a module like its pre-requisite (EE2005) , you're quite off the mark. While you need all the knowledge from the pre-req, this module aims at teaching you how to design Analog amplifiers. It is an extremely interesting module, which is really beautifully designed - to teach you what are the available sub-designs and how you can optimize performance for a specific application by choosing and assembling the right ones. The project teaches you a lot - provided you put in the required effort throughout the semester. By using a virtual software - WinSpice . But overall, its a very tough module.

Introduction to Literary Studies (GEK1000)- S (B+)

I really really enjoyed this module! Its an Arts Gem - which is a compulsory university requirement for Engineering students. The first part of the module deals with poetry . I'm usually the kind of person that writes poetry - I never have the patience to read classical poems (so ironical right?!) but I discovered that I enjoy reading 'em after all! The second half dealt with novels - we read the first ever detective fiction in the history of English (The Moonstone - by Wilkie Collins) and a novel released in 2004 (Nervous Conditions - Tsitsi Dangarembga). It was amazing to observe certain similarities in the novels! while appreciating their unique styles of expression in different times. The third part basically dealt with dramas and we read 2 dramas - The Tempest (Shakespeare) and Oedipus Rex (Sophocles). As I'd read Shakespeare earlier, it was Oedipus Rex that really impressed me. I was amazed to learn about Greek theatre and I've resolved to read more Greek Plays - only 33 of which still remain! A very very informative module and I had a great tutor (Ms. Santos) as well! I mean, who wouldn't love to read stories for assignments!!!

Overall, it was my best sem ever in NUS! I got a SAP of 4.47 and my CAP is now 4.13 (yeah..the same .09 rise! What is it with me and that number I don't know!!) Anyways, one thing I've realized is that the next sem is the only time I can really really make an impression on my CAP. I mean 4th year is hardly going to count and so I hope that really inspires me to study hard next sem! :-)

Friday, August 3, 2007

Thursday, July 26, 2007

CORS

Well, don't think I'm nutters, at least .. not yet! CORS stands for Centralized Online Registration System...Well yeah..I was pretty much doing what you are right now, when I first heard about it too!
But you know what? Its the one change, in the transition from school to college, that I've really enjoyed and appreciated! It is the system that gives you the opportunity to make the fullest of a university education!
Unlike in many colleges back home, where students decide on the course and branch before their first year itself - like ECE, EEE, etc. - here, you only choose your faculty and initial interest. For example, I'm studying EE - Electrical Engineering. Whether my 3rd alphabet should stand for Electronics, Communications, Embedded systems, Gaming Technology, Control and Automation, Bio-electronics or Engineering Science is left up to me - to choose in my 3rd year!
And CORS is how I can choose. The introduction of CORS, made the entire system modular - i.e. every subject that you wish to study is offered as modules. For example, 'Analog Chip Design' is offered as a subject by the Electrical and Computer Engineering faculty for students who wish to specialize in Micro-Electronics.
Well you may be wondering - is the choice of opting for the modules after 2 years of studying advantageous? I definitely think so. One major reason is that to take level 3 modules, you need to have satisfied certain level 1 and 2 pre-requisites - which covers common ground for various engineering branches over the first 2 years at university. This certainly means that you'll, at least, not take a module you did miserably in before!
Another beautiful thing about the course structure here, that I've woken up to only now, is that your specialization modules - called Technical Electives (TEs) are categorized into Depths and Breadths! You are required to do 4 modules as breadths - all of which must be from different specialization tracks and 4 depths, of your choice again.
The breadths allow you to explore different options - for example, you could do a module from bio-electronics assuming that your bio background will offer you an advantage - only to realize that there is more of bio and less of electronics in this track! If this is to your liking you can consider doing the other 4 depths from this track and become an Electrical and Bio-electronics Engineer! If not, well, you always have 3 more breadths to choose from to find the track you're interested in!
So much for the major.
The advantage of a university education over that of a college is in doing modules that spur your all-round development and not merely your technical intuitions. NUS requires us to do certain General Education Modules (GEMs), one of which must at least come from the Arts faculty! There are other university level requirements which require you to study at least 7 modules (and that is really a lot considering that we study, on an average, around 44 modules over the 4 years!) which come from outside your faculty - 3 of which, must for engineers, come from the Business School. In addition to all this, you have the option of doing a minor (which you can get by studying an extra 6 modules) I've opted for this and I'm doing a Technopreneurship Minor (TR minor)
Hmm...well I strayed away quite a bit there! I mainly came here to say this..
CORS has begun again! And I can't believe I'm already registering modules for my 5th Semester!! Anyways, I've placed advance bids for these modules: -EE3408, EE3601, EE2001, EG2401,TR2201,GEK1000. Hope I get them. Its going to be a really really hectic semester, what with the 6MC project module + my project-oriented TR! But I want to do 6 modules this semester so that I can try and do a few extra depths if possible, later on in my fourth year. The summer's already over!! It seems like just yesterday I was whining to you about geting my results! Time flies. So let me at least try and flow.

Monday, May 28, 2007

Year 2 Sem 2 Modules

Principles of Economics (EC1301) - B+
This is a typical principles course in Economics. The subject was really new to me and was very interesting. I had 3 lecturers for this course - the second lecturer - Roland - is amazing! Anyways, what you have to understand is that nearly 3/4 of the class have already studied 'Econs' before. So it is going to be highly competitive. One thing good is that there are only 2 exams - 40% mid-term and 60% final. Attending and following lectures and trying the tutorials is a must. Make sure you are comfortable with your tutor - it really helps. Reading the text book also helps a lot. It is important to understand the concepts and the ability to interpret graphs is definitely handy. The papers are in an MCQ format - trying past year papers is a must as questions of the same concepts are often repeated.
Semiconductor Devices (EE2004) - A-
This is a totally conceptual module. The first part of the course may seem very trivial as none of it actually appears directly in the exams, but the entire module is based on your understanding of the materials presented from week 1-6. There is another tendency too - if you understand the first part very well, you tend to assume that the second part will be followable too. That's the mistake I made. The second part of the course presented materials totally new to me and I was in a really sticky situation in the end. Reading the textbook definitely helps, but a pointer here - most of the questions are based on the concepts presented in the lecture notes' style. So, don't worry if your textbook (which is the only material allowed inside the exam hall) gets scribbled on - cause getting a good grade in this module is important. 1/2 the engineers who graduate from NUS get into the semiconductor industry and so yeah, it is highly likely that the interviewer is interested in you EE2004 grade! CAs are 40% - So don't take them too lightly either!
Electronics (EE2005) - A
Firstly, yay!! This is my first A in NUS! Many people who take up this module, usually complain about its difficulty. But this is really an application module. Studying EE2004 side-by-side helped a lot. The first part of the module is relatively simpler and you should be able to follow the tutorials and lectures well. Not much effort is required here. The second half of the module is the dreaded part. Attending lectures alone is not sufficient. It is very important to do daily or at least weekly studies and follow the lectures. Trying the tutorials/home work by yourself is key to getting a good grade. Attempt the labs by yourself too. It greatly aids the learning process. But ultimately, the 80% final exam pretty much determines your final grade. Make sure you practice a lot. As this is a completely open book exam, you can expect the questions to be difficult. The first 2 questions from the first part are invariably from the first part tutorials. So make sure you've worked them out and understood them well. The second 2 questions from the second part are usually application based and require you to have a good understanding of how to solve complex circuits.
Microprocessor Systems (EE2007) - B+
This was the first so-called 'programming' module that I really liked. Though my score isn't too good, I really learnt a lot here. 50% project and 50% final exam. So CAs matter a lot. One thing is that there is no plagarism checker like in C or C++. So there is a tendency to copy your friend's report. But don't do it. You'll miss out on a lot. Doing the projects by yourself may require a lot of effort on your part - you need to thoroughly read the lecture notes, understand how to use DOS and spend a lot of time on debugging and designing. But in the end, its totally worth the effort. The first 2 mini-projects will require you to write codes which come directly from the lecture notes. The trick here is understanding the hardware aspect and coming to terms with assembly language. The 3rd and 4th mini-projects require a higher level of understanding and coming up with a good flowchart will nearly solve all your problems. A small pointer here - Check out this site called 'Assembler for dummies' if you have difficulty starting your program. Though the mini-projects take up a lot of effort, they ultimately don't affect your grade very much as nearly everyone completes them too. So the final exam, which is usually easy and directly from the lecture notes, but closed book, makes the module highly competitive. Looking at past year solutions helps a lot.
Engineering Electromagnetics (EE2011) - B+
Okay. This is a module which has recently been upgraded to a 4MC one. But the material volume has increased only by a bit. So you should expect the questions to be tricky (Unfortunately I fell for a trick and got an entire question wrong in my finals!) As the material isn't too much and there are webcasts, there is a tendency to slack. Don't. This is actually quite an interesting module and is highly applicable in recent times, with ICs becoming so small, that currents flow at speeds nearly equal to that of light. All you have to do is understand the lecture notes and work out all the tutorials. The text book is also very small and you can work out all the simple problems there every week before your tutorials. Past year papers don't help much at all. Write your own helpsheet. Work out all the tutorials - by hand. Don't just look at the solutions. Know the lecture notes inside-out.
Einstein's Universe and Quantum weirdness (GEK1508) - S (B+)
This is one of the best modules offered in NUS! A science gem. The lecturer is really amazing! He is very passionate about the subject and there are a lot of small stories and quotes out there that you'll enjoy a lot if you are an avid reader. Even with a good background in physics, you can learn a lot and the lectures and tutorials make this a really enjoyable process. Wondering why I S/U ed then? Well, it is a 100% CA module. So if you aren't taking up any other project modules in the semester - I was busy with EE2007 - :-( - you can take it up on a graded basis. It also depends on how you stand in the class. There will be a 20% mid-term before the S/U dates. Your score there can help you take a stand on how the module will otherwise affect your CAP. Lot of creativity and imagination involved and applied in a scientific context! If I become rich enough one day, I think I'll buy the telescope that the lecturer brought to our star - gazing sessions! :-D

Overall, it was an okay sem for me. I got my first A in NUS (which was actually my 2006 resolution - but nvm ... this sem falls under the 06/07 academic year ^^) and an A- in 2004 was a pleasant surprise. Got what I expected for 2007, econs and the gem. My only disappointment this time was 2011. I was really hoping for an A- in that - but I suppose you can't get everything in life! Anyways, one really good thing is that I finally crossed over to 2nd class upper! With my SAP at 4.3 my CAP has risen to 4.04! (Though it was only a .09 rise)
But now I'm already thinking about my next semester. Its going to be an extra hard one where I'm going to be doing the dreaded '3rd year project' module which is 6 MCs, jump into Technical Electives, a minor module - whcih is mostly going to be marketing, an arts gem to fulfil my university requirements and a faculty requirement module - mostly engin prof. So yeah..6 modules again next sem! Or maybe I'll settle for 5 by doing just 1 TE...dunno leh..Anyways..2 more months to go before it comes to that..So I'll just leave it here..hehe!

Friday, May 25, 2007

The thing about results is...

It starts the weekend before. You begin to realize how irregular you visits to the temple have been! You think how nice it would have been to have known the lecturer on a name-to-name basis - how nice it would have been to butter her/him up, and have thrown at her/him random hints of how your handwriting usually looks like! You realize that instead of watching all those movies during the term time, you could have watched them in the vacation, like you are doing now! You think that if only there had been another day's gap between the exams, how you could have raced through some past year solutions and aced the exams! But now all you can sit and do, apart from spending the dreaded 24 hours before your results are announced refreshing that page you blankly stare at, is pray - that everyone screwed up as you much as you did!
Yep! Results in NUS are nothing short of 'miracles' - what you totally don't expect pops up! I remember how I clearly feared failing my C exam and my pleasant shock when I got a B (that's still only an average grade) but man! I was all phew!!! That being a module I took up in my first semester too, I was too busy making comparisons to my school exams to notice how differently we are graded here!
I never get tired of repeating this one particular incident though - which I think summarizes my opinion on 'results expectations' In my third semester, I did 2 core modules - Analytical methods in ECE and Signals. The thing is I loved the Signals module. I loved the lecturer, I loved the materials, I loved the labs and so naturally, I followed the module throughout the semester like a chammathu (good girl) And analytical... well, I must admit that it is a wonderful module as well! The materials represent the complete transition from pure to engineering math! But well, Math n me are like the 2 ends of a magnet!! I'm a more nature loving Physics person..hehe! Anyways, the thing is that I didn't like the module too much - though the lecturer is really sweet :-) - and so I ended up studying the entire module in the 2 days before the exam. You can imagine my shock when I got the same B+ grade for both the subjects! I was expecting an A- in Signals and a B in Anal! You may say - Pah! What's the big difference! But to me it is still uncomprehendable!
I realized that in this 'bell curve grading' system, you grades only reflect how you stand with respect to others. They do allow people to judge you among others, but good grades hardly mean that you know the things you are supposed to know! I mean, I got a B+ grade in C++ module as well, but though I can chalk out a few algorithms and pseudo codes , I can hardly say with authority that I'm good at the language!
Okay...I suppose that's about it for my ramblings today! Tomorrow's the D-day! Pray for me ppl!!

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

My first ever resume

I have just finished writing my first ever proper resume - and I'm on Cloud Number Nine!! I feel so elated - as if a new focus has appeared in my life!
It all began when I applied for an Enhancement Program (EP) offered by the Faculty of Engineering - the VIP or Vacation Internship Program. The application required us to answer the usual questions - What are your skills? What are you interests? What are your hobbies? What are your extra-curricular activities? What job are you looking for? What do you plan to specialize in? and so on ... To be completely honest, this isn't the first resume I've written - it was just the first one I've written by myself - which comes from both my heart and my mind. Its just the first one which is a completely honest account of the person I truly am and my skills and my interests.
And this inspiration I derived from the website of the NUS Career counseling center - where I came across a power-point presentation which was basically a guide to writing your first ever resume - One particular line touched me the most - It said "Be completely honest about your abilities, skills and limits. It will not only help you discover yourself, but will impress upon your employer your true capabilities."
I realized how true this was! After I actually penned everything down, I suddenly realized what I had been inadvertently doing so far - what I have actually learnt over my years in school and university,what kinds of curricular activities I'm involved in and what I have learnt from them, where exactly my interests lie and what skills I possess!
At this point I can only remember a famous quote by Albert Einstein who said "Education is that which remains after you've forgotten all that you've learnt in school" Life is an educational journey - and when I wrote my resume, I realized exactly what I have learnt in life! Which experiences have taught and impressed upon me what I know of life - which direction I'm heading off to!
I won't say that it was a completely pleasant experience - because it did make me realize how much time I've spent on certain things at which point I could have been doing something else which would have given me much more returns - I suppose everyone realizes this but it takes an experience of self-introspection to give you the motivation to stop doing that and move in the direction you really want to!
So people, I've just concluded to update my resume once every 3 months and I will take the liberty to suggest that every single person out there who wants to become something in life should take time to sketch out her/his mind map!!