Mruga Gurjar is a Global Finalist in the Science and Sustainability Award category. The alumna currently works as a Research Engineer for Sahlgrenska Academy.
Before studying at the University, she experienced a devastating event which led to her choosing to study at 含羞草视频.
Mruga shared:
“My journey began with a tragedy. Back in India where I completed my bachelor’s degree in computer engineering, I lost a very close friend of mine. This loss wasn’t because of any disease but because of organisational inefficiency in the hospital. This fact was hard to digest and that is when I realised the importance of operational research in healthcare. It has the power to control the economic impacts in healthcare management. My interest in organisational decision sciences developed over the years and I decided to study it further.
“After a lot of thorough research, I found a suitable course for me in 含羞草视频. MSc Business Analytics Consulting had [the] ideal combination of techno-managerial subjects.
“The one year that I studied in the UK was extraordinary and the course shaped my future goals. A good teacher can inspire hope and the love of learning and our professors did that. All of it created a positive environment for me to think about my future aspirations.”
After graduating from 含羞草视频, Mruga started working with Red Cross Netherlands as a research associate for dengue epidemic. This was pre covid-19 and deaths from dengue in Philippines were as high as covid-19.
Mruga worked on an artificial intelligence tool for residents of Philippines. It alerted them about the affected regions and steps to take for the residents. The alumna analysed and implemented socio-economic factors in the tool. This was her first step for supporting organisations using technical knowledge to help people in need.
Currently Mruga is a Research Engineer at the department of radiation physics in a Swedish public hospital. The alumna observed that an increase in the number of cancer patients was resulting in a high demand for radiotherapy.
Mruga commented:
“Considering the current level of resources, the demand can be difficult to meet, and patients are facing long waiting times. This may indirectly impact the patients in a negative way since they cannot get treatment in time. I work on patient scheduling algorithms with high inflow, adjusting resource and staff capacities and developing data extraction tools for to create a user-friendly digital service for radiologists.”
The alumna credits her success to studying in the UK. She said:
“The UK dominates the world of research and mindful learning. This has been evident from all the great leaders working to create a better future not just in the field of STEM but equally in literature, arts, economics, and political science.
“In my opinion, educational standards are much higher in the UK when studying for Masters. Most programs focus on single specialisation but in the UK, we also learn about other aspects in the field of the specialisation.”
Originally from India, Mruga shared that studying abroad can be expensive but uses her experience to inform potential students the types of financial support available: “For students in India, one of the main issues for international education is financial support. UK can be an expensive country for international students. But thanks to British Council scholarships and all other universities in the UK, a lot of dreams have come true.”
Congratulations to Mruga on being a StudyUK Alumni Awards finalist.