Meet the man of success

"CONCENTRATE on short-term goals. Your long-term ones will surely reach their completion without requiring much effort," says Sami Bin Shokrana, sharing the small tokens of insight behind his successful journey to now working as a postdoctoral research associate for Global Change Science (CGCS) under the Department of Earth, Planetary, and Atmospheric Sciences (EAPS) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Sami's exceptional academic brilliance resonated even during the time of his undergraduate studies when he was majoring in civil engineering. He was awarded Dean's List Award and MIST scholarship for outstanding results. Later on, serving six months after graduation as a structural engineer for a reputed company, Sami started his venture into higher academic studies in Germany at the Technical University of Dresden. After completing his master's degree, he was soon to be a graduate research assistant at Michigan State University in the USA in the next step of his journey to where he is now, an aspirant at MIT, elevating the hopes of those who dream of achieving the same.

During the admission period, a lot of the students tend to be indecisive regarding which subject to choose, considering all the factors that affect the future, such as demand, job opportunities available in the market, and whether there are enough options for higher studies or not. One should decide what they would love to study the most and go on with it, as Sami states, "At the time of the admission period, I chose MIST because I thought it would be a good option for me, although I didn't have a specific affinity for civil engineering from the very first place for me to choose this major direly. However, after my first-year studies, I came to the conclusion that I would pursue a career in the sector of environmental engineering or water resources engineering."

Sami mentions that one of the reasons behind this was his aptitude for travelling and feeling close to nature. He shares, "I like to travel a lot. Mountains, rivers - nature attracts me. There weren't a lot of environmental firms in the country back then. I had a goal in my mind to go for higher studies abroad. I scored well on my IELTS, applied for a few universities, and got into the ones in Germany, so I decided to give it a shot."

When considering higher education abroad, a lot of students share the dilemma of whether they would be able to fit in and adapt to a different culture and environment. Many wonder about the hardships that may come along with living by oneself. When asked about life in Germany, Sami shared with us his thoughts."Although I went on self-finance, education in Germany was free, so there was no tuition cost. I used to work on the weekends, and bore up my living expenses. I wanted to adapt better to the culture, so I thought of and took a language course for a year when I arrived there. Initially, there was a bit of cultural shock, for sure, coming from a completely different culture in Bangladesh. People there didn't communicate much in English either. But pretty soon, I got used to it. Life was hectic, but even to this day, I still relive the experience I shared back then in the lights and shadows of Dresden. It was amazing."

Sami agrees with the fact that, after all, it's human nature to adapt to different situations soon enough. One should always look for the chance to be the best version of themselves. Sami debunks the issue of students thinking that they might not have up-to-date knowledge and experiences on many aspects of a subject and says,

"I never felt that I was there in my master's coming as less learned from Bangladesh. Usually, the first semester in the master's programme is designed in such a way that all the students can catch up and refresh their knowledge, coming from their respective universities back in their states. In my class, the students came from 21 different countries. It was very helpful for me and everyone else. We became acquainted soon and helped each other as well."

Sami highlights that it's not the one who has learned the most in their past degree but the one who has worked the most in their current programme to achieve the best result.

When asked about potential opportunities in the engineering sectors abroad, Sami says, "I can tell about the USA that every field has enough opportunities present for those willing to pursue higher studies here. There are enough funds available if you look around enough, so this is nothing to be worried about. The professors I met during my thesis at BUET helped me a lot to reach where I am now. I deeply respect them and am still connected with them these days. My advisor recommended me to his colleague back at South Dakota State University before I moved to Michigan State University, where I worked for almost five years. I was recently offered a postdoctoral position at MIT, where I will be working on urban flood analysis due to climate change, focusing on the Charles River that flanks Cambridge and Boston City. You build enough skills and connections, and opportunities will come to you without your having sought them. I am very grateful for everything I got to achieve and wish to work hard to obtain the best results." He also talks about his will to work for the country whenever he gets the chance in the future.

A typical scenario occurs for fresh graduates once they have completed their bachelor's. Many wonder what their next step should be. Some worry whether they should start looking for jobs or prepare for government ones. Some ponder whether they should pursue higher studies in the country or abroad.

On that note, Sami says, "It's the individual's decision regarding what they want. Circumstances vary from one person to another. We also work on our methods to approach and achieve what we want. That is where one’s creativity and hard work shine. As for me, I used to set short-term goals, not stressing over what I should be doing later in my life."

For those who are in a dilemma about whether to stay in the country, join any company, pursue government jobs, or seek higher studies abroad, Sami bestows one piece of advice, "If you are firm and determined to achieve your wish, whatever you choose to do, work hard. Work on the present, and you will be sure to shine in the future. Let your dream guide you, but in short steps. Follow your heart."

Mohsinat Ahmed Laboni is an undergraduate civil and environmental engineering student at the Islamic University of Technology.

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