Shyma Alhuwaider is the first student in the Middle East to receive the Roberto Rocca Education Program scholarship to advance her studies. Tenaris is a co-sponsor of the program established in 2005, which provides scholarships and fellowships to undergraduate and graduate students of engineering and the applied sciences.
Alhuwaider, 22, has a penchant for programming, artificial intelligence and big data analysis. She started her studies in the United States and later joined Prince Mohammed bin Fahd University (PMU) in Saudi Arabia where she is continuing her education. The Robert Rocca Education program has granted 432 undergraduate and 17 doctoral scholarships during the 2017-2018 fiscal year, for a total investment of $1.3 million.
What inspired you to pursue the majors you are studying now?
SA: I have always been passionate about engineering and physics. I am also interested in modifying computers and electrical devices. Thus, computer engineering was the most suitable for my interests. During my studies as a computer engineering student at PMU, I realized that I am very fond of programming, artificial intelligence and big data analysis, which have led me to double major in computer science and learn all about the software, rather than just focusing on the hardware.
What are your future aspirations and career expectations?
SA: Working in international environments is one of my goals. Meeting people from different backgrounds and broadening my understanding of other cultures is what I look forward to in the future. Dubai is one of the cities that could offer that sort of experience. I can also see myself pursuing a master’s degree down the road.
How was your experience with Tenaris during the selection process?
SA: The selection process was very interesting. I got to know myself better. Also, I saw how this type of selection process shows the actual personality of the candidate. Unlike in regular interviews, the activities and assessments that I went through showed the interviewers my true personality.
What does this scholarship mean to you?
SA: This scholarship means a lot to me; especially considering my dad is currently paying tuition for all my siblings and me. I think this scholarship will make a huge difference to him. Now that I am on the Tenaris scholarship, I also feel like I am a part of the company. I have been reading and looking into what the company does and what my future could look like if I decided to join Tenaris in the future.
What was your first impression of Tenaris?
SA: The first time I heard about Tenaris was at the university during a presentation. I realized that this is not a small company but a huge worldwide corporation. I loved the fact that the company is hiring female engineers and encouraging them to continue their studies. The Roberto Rocca Program is there for a very noble cause and I am proud to be the first in the Middle East to be awarded this scholarship.