Tara Al-Haddad
Tara Al-Haddad is in her 1st year of studying Computer Systems Engineering and will be graduating in 2027.
Why did you choose to study your programme?
I chose to study CSE because it’s a perfect mixture of the three things I wanted to do within my university degree. I wanted something with as much theory as practical work. In this course, I get to code as well as use newly learned knowledge and skill in assigned projects.
Why did you choose to study at Queen Mary?
I chose to study at Queen Mary because of its outstanding quality of research. The university as a whole is extremely diverse which means every day is different and there’s never a boring day within the course. Queen Mary is also known for its exceptional Electronic Engineering and Computer Science department. For me, it was crucial that I go to a university that has resources beneficial to me and the course I planned to study. So, here I am.
What do you most enjoy about your course?
My favourite part of the course is that the modules all tie in with each other. I like the hardware-software interaction because most of the course focuses on computer systems so I like working on things like low-level programming, embedded systems and understanding how the hardware and the software work together. I also enjoy the challenges that come with the course – for example, I personally find the logic behind the systems engineering a little difficult to grasp but my lecturers are amazing at following up, answering questions and providing resources to ensure I get a full, well-rounded understanding of their taught module.
What are you proud of from your experience at Queen Mary?
I’m proud of my ability to balance my studies and my extracurricular commitments. I’m proud to say that I have been able to successfully be part of two society committees as well as student ambassador, meanwhile perform well in my coursework and examinations.
Which modules do you enjoy the most and are there any academics that have a strong influence on shaping your time and studies here?
My favourite module on this course, so far, has been Signals and Information because it’s the module I found difficult to begin with but as it went on, it proved to be something I just needed to go over in my own time and do questions on it.
Were you a member of any societies or attend any industry events during your time at Queen Mary? If so which and what did you gain from them?
Yes, I currently hold the role of Social Secretary for the Iranian Society and Events Coordinator for the Computer Science Society. I am also a student ambassador for the School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science. From these three very different roles, I have gained multiple practical and social skills. I have been able to work under pressure and have had to deal with difficult people in stressful situations. I feel that this has shaped me to be able to handle conflicts later on in the workplace.
What's one piece of advice you'd offer to someone considering studying your programme at Queen Mary?
Make sure you understand something the week it’s taught. If there’s even a slight misunderstanding or a small concept that you haven’t fully grasped, make sure you go through it because it will snowball into a bigger problem and will be harder to smoothen out issues later.