In 2011, I graduated with a Bachelor degree in extractive metallurgy engineering from the Amirkabir University of Technology. It was a time of decision making, choosing between university and industry, between work and higher education.

On one hand, I was very interested in practical research. I mean I was curious to solve industries problems or innovate a lack of technology in an industry in my country. This is because there is a big gap between these two in my country, although it’s getting better every year.

This eagerness will be clearer if I explain about a workgroup formed by students in the mining and materials engineering department. This group, consisting of 11 students and me, was created to get involved in industrial challenges. To this purpose, we set appointments with professors and engineers from industry to speak about existing opportunities. For example, for a while, we investigated the possibility of small-scale extraction of base metals, welding electrodes production or porous shapes casting, topics that were announced to be needed by some experts.

On the other hand, due to my good academic performance in the bachelor program, I was in the top 10% of class. This achievement allowed me to continue my studies in a higher level, MSc, without any entrance examination as an elite student.

Considering these two points and consultations with my professors, I decided finally to stay in university and study in an MSc program but research on an industry-oriented project.