Yen Fern is a Graduate Engineer working in our Mechanical Engineering team in Malaysia. Ever since she was a child, she believed that everyone deserves to live in an inclusive and sustainable community. Whether helping feed the homeless or an Indigenous community design and build a rainwater harvesting system, she finds purpose in improving the lives of underdeveloped communities.
Yen Fern best aligns with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal number eleven, ‘Sustainable Cities and Communities’. Learn how Arup is helping Yen Fern create a pathway to her purpose:
What did you study and where?
I studied mechanical engineering at the University of Nottingham.
Why did you choose the Arup graduate programme?
I have always wanted to play a role in improving the lives of underdeveloped communities. In university, I joined Engineers Without Borders and helped Indigenous communities access clean water. When choosing a graduate programme, I wanted to have the opportunity to follow my passion at work. I came across Arup through my university, and the firm’s humanitarian and sustainability focus sparked my interest. I was attracted to Arup’s alignment with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and knew I could help create a sustainable future.
What do you get up to in your day-to-day role?
Every day, I design different mechanical building services such as the central air conditioning, water supply and fire protection systems in compliance with our local standards. I also get many opportunities to work on projects based in Singapore, Thailand, Mexico and the Philippines. Working under senior engineers from other offices means there is always guidance and someone to learn from in everything I do. My team is supportive and collaborative. It doesn’t matter how many years of experience each member has; we embrace everyone’s perspective and learn as a team.
What has been your most enjoyable moment/project so far?
My most memorable moment is travelling to Singapore at the start of the graduate programme to meet other graduates in Southeast Asia and visit Arup-designed projects. Getting to collaborate with people from around the globe has also allowed me to familiarise myself with other countries’ standard design practices. A major highlight is completing the detailed design and overseeing the construction stage for a retail project in the Philippines, which recently opened its doors to customers.
What are your future aspirations?
I want to help create sustainable and valuable infrastructure that improves our quality of life in the future. I also want to follow in my mentors’ footsteps and make sure the next generation of engineers help us shape a better world.