Mr Nathan Sparks obtained his BSc Electrical Engineering degree summa cum laude.Electrical Engineering Student Graduates Top of His Class!
Mr Nathan Sparks wanted to investigate what he didn’t know or understand much about. He put the desire down to human nature!
So he went ahead and investigated electronics, electricity and magnetism and did very well at that, so much so that he was awarded his BSc degree in Electrical Engineering summa cum laude, ending up top of his class at UKZN.
Sparks, who matriculated from Kearsney College, says he is extremely grateful for the foundation his high school gave him. Mathematics, Physics and Design were three very important subjects for Sparks and Kearsney helped him develop in those areas making his choice of studying for an Electrical Engineering degree a natural one.
‘Electronics, electricity and magnetism have always been subject areas of confusion and obscurity for me, so naturally my inquisitiveness drew me closer to them. I followed a path that I thought would leave me feeling intellectually fulfilled,’ said Sparks.
While his father, who is also in the field of electrical engineering, serves as his role model, Sparks also has another hero who inspires him - the famous astronomer and physicist, Galileo Galilei.
‘In the 16th Century Galileo was willing to stand up against the orthodoxy of the church using his own scientific discoveries; some of which have shaped and moulded the world we live in today,’ said Sparks.
A Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering is next on his list after which he hopes to become an engineer in training, as he wants to do his doctorate and work at the same time.
Even though Sparks makes academic achievement look easy, he admits the degree was stressful and required a lot of self-sacrifice, dedication and resilience. The challenges he faced, however, made his success more rewarding.
When Sparks is taking a break from his studies he is either running, at the gym, fly fishing or playing cricket.