When Vienna Brooks walked through the doors of Albany Senior High School (ASHS) in 2020, she had a clear interest in engineering but wasn’t yet sure how to shape it into a meaningful career. Fast forward to today, and Vienna is in her third year of a four-year degree, studying Mechatronics Engineering at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) – well on her way to becoming a leader in her field.
Her path has been packed with impressive milestones. After leaving ASHS, she began her Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Mechatronics at Massey University and continued competing in VEX Robotics, which she had been involved with for five years. “In my first year at university, my team won the National Championship and we had the privilege of competing at the World Championship in the USA.”
At the start of 2024, she transferred to AUT after engineering was discontinued at Massey. Around this time, she also stepped up from Assistant to Presenter at Nanogirl Labs – “doing science shows and workshops for young children to engage them in STEM fields … from private events to school holiday programmes, to public shows in the community and malls and bigger shows at MOTAT.”
Over the summer of 2024-2025, she completed a 12-week engineering internship at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, “working in a product development team, helping to design and improve parts for a respiratory humidification device used in hospitals.” She now also works as a teaching assistant for a university course at AUT.
How ASHS Sparked Her Confidence
“ASHS was far more than just a school – it provided a practical launchpad for me,” Vienna says. “When I started at ASHS I was a fairly quiet person – I never would have expected to be doing science shows in front of large audiences.”
Becoming a Nanogirl presenter turned out to be “one of the most influential roles in my life” – a leap she credits to the confidence built through Impact Projects and teacher encouragement.
During her Fisher & Paykel Healthcare internship interview, “the ones they wanted to hear about the most were my main Impact Project and other projects I had undertaken during my time at ASHS.”
Learning by Doing
“I feel Impact Projects were at the core of what ASHS was about. They really promoted curiosity and the importance of understanding – not just knowledge – to be able to apply learning to real-world problems.”
Her final Impact Project – a water tank monitoring system installed at ASHS – is one of her proudest achievements. Along the way, she developed problem-solving, communication, networking, and project management skills that made the transition to university “very smooth.”
Mentorship that Made a Difference
Among her many supportive teachers, one stands out: “Dusung Jeung was both a teacher and mentor to me who had a significant impact … More than anything, he always encouraged me to think bigger.”
Advice for Current Students
“I am so grateful for my time at ASHS and the connection with teachers there. The freedom they give to students as young adults, encouragement to pursue what you are passionate about, and challenging students to think bigger is invaluable. What is really important is passion over knowledge or existing skills – if you are passionate enough about something, you can make it happen.”
