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Ilayda is passionate about design engineering and how it can be used to innovate and improve people's lives. She has experience with various design projects including 3D printed prototypes of a large statue and functional cabinets. Ilayda also enjoys learning about aerodynamics from flying with her father and is curious about computational fluid dynamics. She hopes to pursue a degree in design engineering to continue innovating and designing products that make a positive impact.

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Ilayda Ozmerter
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68 views

PS Draft 2

Ilayda is passionate about design engineering and how it can be used to innovate and improve people's lives. She has experience with various design projects including 3D printed prototypes of a large statue and functional cabinets. Ilayda also enjoys learning about aerodynamics from flying with her father and is curious about computational fluid dynamics. She hopes to pursue a degree in design engineering to continue innovating and designing products that make a positive impact.

Uploaded by

Ilayda Ozmerter
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Ilayda Ozmerter- Personal Statement

Design Engineering is a means for me not only to create new products but also to innovate and
effect change in peoples’ way of life. I find the process of systematically materialising my ideas into
an actual product immensely satisfying. The joy of innovating has led me to making hanging lamps
using Apple iPad boxes and self-watering plant pots with a built-in LDR purely from recycled
materials. This has enriched my understanding of materials and has given me the resolute desire to
pursue Design Engineering.

Curious to learn more about the engineering behind a complex project, I applied for an internship at
the Arkin University of Creative Arts and Design. As the only student chosen to work with their
team of designers and engineers, I helped analyse the largest statue to be built in Cyprus, ‘the Noble
Peasant’, from a solid mechanics perspective. Creating mathematical models based on Young’s
Modulus and the Mohr-Coulomb theory to calculate the response of the concrete design to shear
and normal stresses has enhanced my quantitative reasoning skills. Using data obtained from aerial
drone mapping, I modelled the terrain with cardboard and prototyped 3D printed variations of the
statue design, which initiated a realistic starting point for the project. However, the project has met
with a lot of public scepticism due to environmental concerns, threatening its viability to continue.
Surprisingly, no initial research was made on public opinion and it became apparent to me that
starting with the end user’s need in mind is imperative to a successful final design.

The concepts of design thinking and ethnographic research I learnt during the Product Design
Essentials online course by Parsons School of Design came together seamlessly with my internship
at architecture firm, GVDS. Using SketchUp and Rhinoceros 3D software, I modelled functional
cabinets for use in an actual office project, where I learned to challenge my ideas and use creative
iteration to reach an optimal design. By making construction site visits, I also received hands-on
experience working with on-site engineers possessing seemingly infinite knowledge of the
mechanical properties of materials and manufacturing techniques, fuelling my particular interest in
the use of CNC technology. This has contributed to my team working skills. I further expanded my
skill set by teaching myself how to use AutoCAD and modelled the components from the projects
sites, which I found to complement my eye for detail.

Flying with my dad at the controls of his general aviation aeroplane has sparked my interest in
aerodynamics disciplines that allow a plane to stay safely in the air. The in-person flying experience
has extended my knowledge of planar kinematics and how forces impact flight, while developing
my analytical thinking skills. This has driven my curiosity to investigate how thermodynamics plays
a role in a range of design applications and primarily how Bernoulli’s principle justifies the lift
generated by the shape of the wings. My further reading on aviation has put other design features of
the aeroplane into perspective. I was particularly enthused by reading Pooleys Air Pilot's Manual 1
as it has familiarised me with how the design of airfoils and moving control surfaces on an
aeroplane work to mitigate these forces. I excitedly anticipate learning more about the effect of
forces on vehicle designs and methods of computational flow modelling during my degree.

I play the ukulele to unwind and spend my free time capturing the stories of people around me
through observational sketches, tonal drawings and paintings. I particularly revel in taking to paper
people's experiences during the pandemic. I share my art with others through my online blog, which
allows me to immerse myself in different cultures. The Duke of Edinburgh bronze award gave me
the opportunity to volunteer alongside my art teachers and take on a great physical challenge where
persevering through unforeseen obstacles has cultivated my approach to collaborative problem-

solving. By far, my favourite extracurricular experience has been getting invited to work in a local
cafe, designing, making and painting large scale display boards from wood with the aid of
AutoCAD.

I have always felt at home when exploring the UK. Also home to top companies at the cutting edge
of innovation, the high emphasis on hands-on learning will be the ideal stepping stone to a career
where I can grow and innovate. I am an able team leader and always up for a challenge; Besides
being a prefect of my school, my idea and leadership led my team to win the first-place prize in the
Junior Achievement Cyprus innovation competition. My thirst for knowledge to better understand
the driving forces of innovation keeps me going. As a determined individual that looks to create at
any given opportunity, I strive to design and improve products that can serve a larger purpose,
pursuing a design engineering degree.

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