My name is Kaung Htet, and I was born in Pakokku Township, Magway Region, Myanmar. I have a younger sister, and when I was five, my parents moved to Yangon in search of better opportunities for business and education. The early days in Yangon were challenging; my father commuted about 20 miles to work daily, and life was not as comfortable as we had hoped. Eventually, we returned to Pakokku.
Driven by a strong interest in science and engineering, I pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Precision and Automation Engineering at the University of Technology (Yatanarpon CyberCity). In my third year, I took on the role of lead in control and programming for a project group. Our team developed several projects, including an air hockey game board, a 5-DOF articulated robot arm, and a 6-DOF translational screwing robot arm, earning “Best Project” at the 2018 university project show.
For my graduation paper in 2018, I conducted kinematics analysis for the 6-DOF screwing robot arm as part of faculty research. I also organized activities in my university hostel, including donations to orphanages, book collections for libraries, and blood donation drives.
After graduating in 2019, I began my professional career in factory automation. A six-month internship as a process engineer at Delta Electronics in Yangon led to my current role as an operations and maintenance engineer at JMMC Ltd, where I have worked for three years. These experiences gave me hands-on knowledge in both mechanical and electrical control engineering and deepened my desire to specialize in autonomous systems. I also freelanced as an AutoCAD drafter for several years.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, my plan was clear: gain enough experience and save enough money to pursue a Master’s degree abroad. The pandemic and the subsequent situation halted my work for nearly a year, and rising inflation added to the financial strain.
About Kaung Htet
- Age: 30
- Ethnicity: Burmese
- Country: Myanmar
School & Program
- Asian Institute of Technology
- Master’s, Mechatronics & Machine Intelligence
- Graduated
Goals & Dreams
- Become an expert in autonomous systems
- Visit Anfield to cheer on Liverpool FC
Loan Details
- Loan Amount: $3,425
- Amount Left To Fund: $3,250
- Contract Duration: 11 years
- Status: In Grace Period
My sister also left medical school to pursue a different path, and I chose to temporarily postpone my own plans to help her find a new direction.
Despite these setbacks, I am now applying for the Master’s degree program in Mechatronics and Machine Intelligence at AIT, and I am grateful to have been awarded a 75% scholarship for the two-year program. A Zomia loan would help cover the remaining costs.
Upon earning my Master’s degree, my goal is to become a leading expert in autonomous systems and contribute to the development of innovative technologies across sectors including public transportation, healthcare, agriculture, and manufacturing. I want to play a meaningful role in my country’s transition toward integrating these systems into everyday life.
Written by Kaung Htet with editing assistance from Zomia’s volunteer editors.
Kaung Htet
“I want to play a meaningful role in my country’s transition toward integrating autonomous systems into everyday life.”