Sepehr Alipour

My interest in information technology began at a young age, driven by a natural curiosity about how digital systems operate. Over the years, through independent study and practical exploration across various branches of IT, I discovered a genuine passion for cybersecurity. What draws me to this field is its dynamic and critical nature it is a discipline where continuous learning and problem-solving are essential. I view cybersecurity not merely as a degree, but as the foundation for a lifelong career that I am deeply committed to, regardless of the challenges I may face along the way.

Having attended open days at several universities, Edge Hill immediately stood out to me from the moment I first stepped onto campus. In fact, it was the only institution I felt compelled to visit twice. The expansive, vibrant atmosphere caught my attention straight away, offering a welcoming environment paired with impressive facilities. The sense of community, combined with the wealth of academic and extra-curricular opportunities available across campus, made it clear that Edge Hill was the ideal place for me to pursue my degree.

The top 3 skills I have developed during my degree are:
Patience and Resilience
Collaborative Leadership
Creative Problem-Solving

The most memorable moment of my degree so far has been collaborating on intensive group projects with my peers. Working alongside classmates who brought different skills and perspectives to the table allowed us to pool our knowledge and solve complex technical challenges far more effectively than we could have individually. Reaching that final breakthrough together, whether that meant successfully resolving a difficult technical issue or delivering a polished group presentation, it was immensely rewarding and highlighted the genuine value of teamwork.

My greatest achievement at university has been my personal development through campus involvement and community engagement. Coming into university, I pushed myself to step out of my comfort zone to connect with people from diverse backgrounds, which significantly broadened my perspective. Alongside my studies, I took on roles across several different university departments. Successfully balancing my academic workload while adapting to various work environments allowed me to build strong interpersonal skills, practise effective time management, and gain a deep confidence in my ability to thrive in new situations.

I am currently developing an innovative wearable assistive technology project designed to foster greater independence for blind and visually impaired (BVI) individuals. Powered by a Raspberry Pi 5, the system uses a hybrid AI architecture that bridges local ‘edge’ intelligence with cloud-based artificial intelligence. The project was inspired by a desire to apply cutting-edge computer vision and AI—such as YOLO object detection, quantized models, and Vision-Language Models (VLMs)—to tackle a critical real-world challenge: overcoming the high cost and functional limits of current assistive devices, often known as the ‘accessibility tax’ The real-world problem this project solves is the trade-off between speed and depth in existing technology. For mobility and navigation, safe movement requires instant feedback that cloud processing alone cannot reliably deliver due to latency. My system addresses this through a ‘live video mode’ that processes visual data locally to detect tripping hazards and safe paths within milliseconds. For complex, knowledge-intensive tasks—such as reading fine print on prescription bottles or interpreting detailed documents—it seamlessly offloads high-resolution images to cloud APIs. This dual-track approach provides immediate, life-safety alerts while maintaining access to deep scene analysis, dramatically improving user safety and autonomy.

My favourite aspect of the course is how the teaching methods bridge the gap between academic theory and technical application. The assignments are designed to mirror genuine industry challenges, encouraging us to troubleshoot, experiment, and think critically under realistic conditions. I particularly value the hands-on workshops and lab sessions, where complex topics are broken down systematically, making the learning experience both highly rewarding and immediately practical.

My favourite aspect of Edge Hill is how spacious and self-contained the campus is. Having such a big, modern environment makes student life feel lively and gives you plenty of room to study, work, and socialise.