For Annamalai (Ed) Muthiah his passion for engineering and aerospace has always been the inspiration behind his studies.

After graduating from high school, Ed decided to take up the Bachelor of Engineering (Research and Development) Degree at ANU, majoring in Mechanical and Material Systems. To him, the degree’s unique focus on systems engineering would grant him the relevant and highly regarded skills within the aerospace and defence industries.

In his final year, and with a graduate placement within the Aerospace and Autonomous Systems team at BAE Systems Australia, Ed is able to reflect on his decision to study at ANU.

“Engineering at ANU provided me with core technical skills and a holistic problem-solving approach that has allowed me to achieve my childhood dream of building rockets," explains Ed.

During his time at ANU, Ed explored many possibilities available to him through his degree – undertaking several aerospace/defence internships at established firms including the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG), QinetiQ, Qantas Link, and Thales.

Throughout these internships Ed participated in several real-world projects including his work on composite non-destructive investigation techniques for the F/A-18 Hornet with the DSTG’s Aerospace Division and his recent systems engineering group work with QinetiQ Australia to automate test rig design for structural integrity testing of various C-27 Spartan components.

Besides the industry opportunities, Ed also acted as a casual academic tutor, a co-founder of the very first ANU Solar Car Team, and has recently established the Australian Youth Aerospace Association’s ACT committee – all experiences that have fostered his passion and prepared him for industry.

Ed’s advice to prospective students is to find your passion early and focus your efforts.

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