Hello there! My name is Tyler, I am a fourth year Electrical Engineering and Mathematics student from UOW. I have been a part of the building services team since April of last year. Brendan Banfield came to a lecture that I was in and spoke about how a group of students wanted to build a house and send it overseas to compete in a competition in Dubai. He invited anyone that was interested to come to the next team meeting. I went expecting to be able to do some extracurricular work to put on my resumé. I got that and so much more. I found a group of motivated individuals who I can relate to on so many levels.
Being a member of the Desert Rose team brings me immense pride and satisfaction. I helped build a house! That, to me, is just wicked. It’s something I never thought I would get to do and yet I’ve done it. I’ve learnt the difference between a screwdriver and an impact driver. I’ve learnt that insulation gets everywhere, almost as much as sand. And I’ve also learnt that angle grinding at night makes for a great photo opportunity.
More importantly, I’ve learnt how an engineering team works. Through observing real world engineers, I can say I have a better understanding of what it takes to be a good engineer and a good manager. The way that some of the leadership team know every nook and cranny of the house is awe inspiring. The work ethic and knowledge of these blooming engineering students has inspired me to be a better student and strive to be a better engineer.
This project started as an idea and now it is a house. That’s the closest thing to magic I think I will ever witness. Except it wasn’t magic. It was what happens when a group of dedicated individuals get together to form a team. And I am honoured to be able to say that I am a part of it.