Meet our students and alumni

We asked some of our students and graduates to share their experiences of studying in the School of Biosciences, and to tell us what they've ended up doing with their degree.

My placement allowed me to apply the learnings from my Biochemistry degree including how to approach a real problem logically

Isabel Hyde MBiolSci Biochemistry

Thanks to winning the RB “Future of Science” competition, Isabel spent this summer completing a paid summer placement with the health and hygiene company. Throughout the summer, Isabel worked in three distinct areas of the business and was able to apply what she’s learnt on her course so far.

My summer research placement cemented my understanding of many techniques - ready for my third year lab project

Elena Brewer MBiomedSci Biomedical Science

Elena’s Sheffield Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) project this summer saw her conducting original research with clear clinical relevance - refining the use of ultrasound as a therapy for healing wounds faster and healing chronic wounds. Thanks to this experience, Elena has not only boosted her CV with new transferrable skills and experience, but she now feels better prepared to begin her third year research project.

I leave Sheffield with not just a degree in Biology, but with life-long friendships and heaps of fantastic experiences and memories

Maddy Roberts BSc Biology

Maddy made the most of her time at Sheffield, getting involved with activities like a once in a lifetime field trip to Arctic Sweden, as well as beyond the department: from joining student societies like AIESEC, to volunteering for Nightline.

Spending a year studying in Oregon, USA taught me so much and it really started to feel like home in no time

Sarah Swann BSc Biology with a Year Abroad (now Biological Sciences)

Sarah chose to spend a year of her Biology degree studying at Oregon State University in the USA. From carrying out fieldwork in local rainforests and mountain ranges, to getting immersed in American culture during national holidays and events, Sarah loved her time abroad so much she's now considering postgraduate study overseas in the future.

My placement year at Royal Botanic Gardens Kew confirmed that a research career is the right path for me

Isabel Fairlie MBiolSci Biology with Placement Year (now Biological Sciences)

Isabel spent her placement year working at Royal Botanic Gardens Kew extracting DNA from the leaves of around 300 tree species. Being exposed to colleagues at different stages in their academic careers whilst at Kew helped Isabel to gather ideas about her own future and this placement confirmed that a research career is the right path for her.

My summer project gave me a lot of experience in handling fly stocks, carrying out mating experiments, and experimental design

Tobit Dehnen MBiolSci Zoology

Tobit spent this summer completing a six week Sheffield Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) placement conducting his own research. During the project, Tobit gained experience in handling fly stocks, carrying out mating experiments, and experimental design.

Spending a year studying in Singapore made me feel confident about working abroad after I graduate

Dina-Leigh Simons MBiolSci Biology with a Year Abroad

Dina-Leigh chose to spend a year abroad studying in Singapore as part of her Biology degree in order to challenge and improve herself whilst making connections all around the world. The experience allowed Dina-Leigh to study organisms on tropical islands off the coast of Singapore and gave her a better understanding of important local issues such as the urbanisation effects on coral reefs and mudflats.

I completed a summer research placement and got to work in the specimen collections of the Natural History Museum at Tring

Louie Rombaut MBiolSci Zoology

Louie spent the summer of his second year on the Sheffield Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) scheme — a 6-8-week project that allows undergraduate students to conduct their own research. For this, Louie studied the evolution of ecological and morphological traits of hummingbirds, and got to work in the specimen collections of the Natural History Museum at Tring.

My SURE placement gave me a better understanding of what a career in academia might be like

Charlotte Redfern MBiolSci Biology (now Biological Sciences)

Charlotte chose to complete a Sheffield Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) placement this summer to get a better idea of life in academia. By immersing herself in this opportunity, Charlotte was able to not only make the most of lab-based opportunities but also gain exposure to the research environment of the department as a whole.

I will always be grateful for my experience as a Biomedical Science undergraduate.

Vishmi Silva BSc Biomedical Science

Vishmi studied Biomedical Science with us as an undergraduate, where support from her tutors helped her to stay on at the university to study Medicine.

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