BSc Physics 2014
From Aberdeen to Revolutionising Cybersecurity
Your Time at Aberdeen
Why did you choose Aberdeen?
Aberdeen’s great reputation for STEM subjects and the option to customise course subjects were the two biggest factors which initially drew me to the University.
In addition to the academic side, I was also really keen to study at an ancient university and Aberdeen offered a great balance between historical character and modern facilities. Its close proximity to the highlands and beautiful landscapes of Scotland’s East Coast was also undeniably a huge selling point!
Why did you choose your course?
Physics is a well-respected subject in all professional industries and is an amazing choice if you don't know exactly what you want to do. You develop such broad skills such as analytical and abstract thinking, coding, practical lab work and group communication. I was always interested in how things work and thinking about big, complex topics and questions, so it was a perfect fit for me.
What did you enjoy most about Aberdeen?
Overall, the whole atmosphere on campus. It's leafy and green, historical, full of charming character and warm, friendly people.
What made a particular difference was the teaching staff’s flexible approach, attitude and dedication to always going the extra mile to make students feel supported.
Also, being able to walk from campus to the beach on sunny days and eating post-tutorial ice creams with friends is a huge plus!
Were you involved in any societies or leadership programmes?
I was involved in the Maths & Physics Society and was also a Career Department Rep for Physics. In my final year I was course tutor for Physics juniors.
What advice would you give prospective Aberdeen students to make the most out of their experience?
Come in with an open mind, university is the best time to explore what you really enjoy and find out what you are great at.
I’d also say make the most of the flexible credits and try something different. I took a Find Your Direction careers course in my second year and I credit it now with my success and being able to discover my strengths.
Your Time After Aberdeen
What was your first job title after graduating from Aberdeen?
IT & Digital Consultant.
What did your first role involve?
As a consultant I worked with clients to define what it was that they wanted to achieve. This involved a lot of research, strategy development and day to day client liaison. I also participated in industry speaking engagements and represented the company at tech conferences in Northern Ireland to build brand awareness.
Who was your first employer?
Apple.
What is your current job title?
VP of Experience at Clario.
What does your current role involve?
I’m responsible for creating a software and service product that challenges all of the expectations and current offerings in consumer cybersecurity.
We set out, just over a year ago on our mission to disrupt the cybersecurity industry by building the world’s first truly consumer-centric solution, which will help to tackle the billion dollar cybersecurity crisis we are facing.
At Clario, I lead product development, which has been a fantastic opportunity seeing as we had to start completely from scratch and looked at the other players in the market to decide how we were going to design something entirely different. It’s been challenging, thrilling and sometimes a little terrifying - all at once - but the most fun I’ve had in my career yet.
What is your current location?
I split my time between my home in Northern Ireland, where I grew up, with London and Ukraine, where Clario have a large office.
Briefly describe your journey from your first job after graduating to where you are now?
While studying at Aberdeen I worked part time at Apple as a customer experience specialist. This sparked my interest in technology and post-graduation I started in tech consultancy where I trained in various aspects of the job, such as technical recruitment, systems procurement, UX/UI, product management and development. It was after this that I found my niche and decided to specialise in product management and eventually consumer software leadership.
Was your degree at Aberdeen essential to getting where you are today? If so, in what way?
Yes definitely! Because of the fantastic flexibility Aberdeen allow in degree credits, I was able to take business economics modules, which helped to shape my degree from a pure science background, to applied technology in business.
During my second year I took an elective 'Find your direction' careers module, which helped me to understand my personality type, role preference and what kind of career might suit me. That's where I started to gravitate towards Management Consultancy.
With a Physics degree, you develop such a huge range of skills in mathematical analysis and statistics (great for financial modelling in business!) as well as practical lab skills and experiment design, which help you apply theory to the real world. It was both of these key skills that gave me the foundation to excel through business consultancy and product design and management.
