Maria Mendoza Puchades

Maria graduated from the MEng Structural Engineering programme in 2012 with First Class Honours and was awarded the Watt Club Medal. She has recently started her career as a structural engineer with Arup, within their building department.

I had a great time studying at Heriot-Watt. I found the subjects very interesting as well as relevant to my personal development and career.

The quality of teaching is excellent, and lecturers are easy to approach both in class and on a one-to-one basis. Access to resources is good and the careers service is a highly reliable source of help. The University also offers a wide range of sports and social activities, which allowed me to have a great study–life balance.

I feel that Heriot-Watt has prepared me well for my current role with Arup.

The Structural Engineering programme is focused strongly on the industry. Specific activities that gave me an advantage at job interviews include assignments supervised by companies in the field, study tours and collaborative projects with other disciplines.

I feel that Heriot-Watt has prepared me well for my current role with Arup. I work within the building department and my job involves analysing and designing building structures as well as interacting with different disciplines to achieve the best design solutions.