"What I like most about KTH is the variety of different technical course offerings and subjects"
Anthony is from upstate New York in the last year of his master’s in Mechatronics. After having completed his bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Delaware, he spent a few years working for an advanced materials manufacturing company doing equipment installations and developing new processes. He has been to 25 countries so far and have tasted over 2,000 different beers.
What made you choose KTH?
I chose KTH and Sweden for several reasons. Sweden has a renowned reputation for sustainability, innovation, and technology as well as excellent quality of life and equality. Also, I’ve never been here before, so I wanted to see what it was like (and so far so good!)
The mechatronics program at KTH has a long-standing history and is entirely mechatronics focused. It’s also a very hands-on programme based on coursework and projects. Coming from industry, the application side of things is very important to me.
What do you like most about KTH?
What I like most about KTH is the variety of different technical course offerings and subjects. There are way too many that I’m interested in!
What are your impressions of Stockholm and Sweden?
Stockholm and Sweden are quieter in general than what I’m used to. The Swedes have a mentality of cooperation and lagom. It’s a stark contrast from the competitive/achiever “best” mentality commonly found in the US. This place is also very green, and I enjoy the connection Sweden has with nature. Sometimes I feel that the Swedish lifestyle is a bit too structured, although some of the systems are quite efficient.
What is your best memory from your time at KTH so far?
One event that I’ll never forget was this giant, campus wide capture the flag game we played during the introduction week. There were roughly 100 people involved and it was so much fun! Otherwise, the Swedish summer has left me with many fond memories.
Are there any differences between studying at KTH and your home university?
At the time, my home university focused more on theory and solving specific problems mathematically. The teaching was reinforced with repetition and paper exercises. KTH is much more abstract in that there are a multitude of ways to solve the problems given, and emphasis is placed on design and modelling. The education is also more independent at KTH – it is up to the student to learn what is needed to solve the given problems, and there is a lot of troubleshooting.
What would you like to say to students thinking of choosing KTH for master’s studies?
KTH uses a period system, splitting the school year into four quarters. This makes time go by extremely quickly and doesn’t leave a lot of room for catching up. It’s best to try to stay on top of your studies as best you can.
I’d also suggest reflecting on why you’re going after your masters and keeping this in mind throughout your studies. It will help guide you and keep you focused. Also, while school is important, so are the relationships you form. They can have more impact on your future than grades. Don’t forget to experience new things and meet new people!
What do you see as the most significant aspects of your programme?
The most significant aspect of my programme is how application-driven it is. Every class in the programme is tied to doing something with a physical result at the end. Also, the problems we solve are challenging, and as such our group as a whole has become more tightknit as we support each other.
Are you taking part in any student activities?
I do orienteering with the team at KTH and am working heavily with the Students’ Nobel NightCap this year.
Do you have a dream job after graduating from KTH?
The dream is to become Iron Man. A little more likely is a world beer connoisseur. Even more likely is joining or building my own start-up. In the meantime, I’ll need some sort of income and would like to work on robotic prosthetics.