Tafazzul
Tafazzul was born in Karnataka, India and grew up in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Before coming to Sweden, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology Engineering from NMAM Institute of Technology. He decided to pursue a master’s degree to fulfill his dream of becoming a researcher, which led him to take the master’s programme in Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology at KTH.
Why did you choose this master’s programme at KTH?
In my final year of studies in India, I came across Environmental Biotechnology as an elective course. I fell in love with the contents from the subject as it taught me that nature can be used to solve a lot of environmental issues that I have been intrigued by for a long time. While looking for countries to pursue my
master’s studies, I found that Sweden is a country that focuses on sustainable research which ticked one of many boxes. When I looked further into studying here, I found the master’s programme in Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology provided by KTH. The research opportunities and courses offered in my programme allowed me to envision myself studying here. That’s when I knew i had to apply to KTH.
Have you chosen a specialisation track within the programme? If yes, which track and why?
I want to become a researcher who can solve water and wastewater related issues. During my childhood, accessibility to water was oddly stuck behind subscriptions and paywalls. I had to see my parents continuously pay for bottles (a gallon’s worth) to provide drinking water for a month or so. A similar situation in India sees a lot of households have water purifiers and water filters which although work great, can be quite expensive to have and maintain. I chose the Environmental Biotechnology track to learn what goes into Earth’s water bodies at a global level and see how it affects humans, plants and animals alike. A lot of countries do not have the privilege of clean water, so I would like to use the skills learned and knowledge gained from here to make it a reality.
How is student life in Stockholm?
Student life in Stockholm is great. The city has a lot of parks and museums worth visiting. As a student, you also get to live on your own in student accommodation and interact with people from all over the world and learn more about the world around you. I especially like that the city is surrounded by a lot of nature as I like taking walks and exploring my surroundings.
Have you experienced any culture shock?
It is tricky to pinpoint the exact details but there were things I needed getting used to such as daylight savings, the uneven times at which the sun rises and sets. I found my first winter here to be difficult, but I managed to get through it by taking small trips and keeping myself engaged in various activities.
In terms of interacting with other people, having to address lecturers by their first name is something I find nice since it helps me feel like I’m talking to a fellow scientist while also being able to maintain the respect expected between students and teachers.
During your application period, what was the most useful resource that you got from KTH? For example, KTH's website, webinars, ask a KTH student, etc.
To start, KTH’s website is very informative on its own but what I really liked about KTH during the application process is that we have the chance to interact with students currently attending KTH. I remember communicating with the student ambassador for the programme at the time with emails which they reciprocated with kindness and insight as to what I could expect from studies at KTH. Even after being accepted, the one-on-one session with the student ambassador made me feel welcomed and valued, solidifying my decision to choose KTH.