I really enjoyed the artifacts project as it gave us the opportunity to conduct our own research and present the findings at the end.
Why did you choose to study at Sheffield?
I was interested in Sheffield because it is well known for specialising in engineering and has strong connections with industry. It is also somewhere that I had never been to before, is close to the peak district and everyone I spoke to about it only ever said good things. I chose to study at the University of Sheffield because of how welcomed I felt by the department. It was really important to know that where I was planning to spend the next few years was going to care about me as a person, which I felt from day one.
Why did you choose to study your chosen degree? If you are doing a year in industry what attracted you to this option?
I chose to study materials science because of my previous experience as a research scientist in the materials department of the National Physical Laboratory (NPL). I started as an apprentice and after a few years of working I decided it was the right time to go on to do a degree.
What do you enjoy most about your course?
I really enjoy that the course allows us to explore a wide variety of materials and their applications. There is a good combination of learning new content and consolidating the fundamentals and building on those key concepts every year. I also really enjoyed the artifacts project in second year as it gave us the opportunity to conduct our own research and present the findings at the end.
What do you like best about Sheffield and the University?
I really like that there is always something to do, an event or exhibition, a walk in the peaks, lots of pubs and great places to eat. I like how the university gets so involved with the students and the local area via societies.
University isn't just about academic studies. What extracurricular activities do you enjoy or are involved in?
In second year I was a Rep for the iForge makerspace, it was good fun to learn how to use the tools in the workshop and help people with their projects. I also like to help at the wellbeing cafe because I enjoy cooking a lot.
Do you have any plans for after you graduate? If you have secured a job please give more details and say how you think your course helped you get the job
I have secured a job as a Graduate Battery Researcher at Faradion Ltd., a company specialising in sodium ion batteries. I was interested in batteries from both my previous experience at NPL and from my course. During the summer of 2022 I took part in the SURE scheme where I spent 6 weeks working with researchers from the University making novel cathodes for sodium ion batteries. The fact that I had done this project put me in a really unique position where I had relevant experience before graduating my degree. I went to the careers fair in the autumn semester with my CV and I met members from Faradion there. I told them about my SURE project and within a week they had organised my first interview. I am starting with them in August.
Any tips for new students?
If you find something in the course that really interests you, talk to the lecturers and your tutor about how you can get more involved. There are so many opportunities at the university and schemes you can get involved in, but it is hard to know what they are and when to apply. Sometimes the applications take a while, and you will feel like you won't have time to prioritize them on top of your course work, but I recommend you do it anyway as those things are what make you stand out from the crowd in the long run.