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.
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.
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.
For me, the study of Physics is looking at the natural world in a very precise, systematic way and trying to understand it. I have always been curious about the world and how it works, and studying Physics made me appreciate even more how beautiful and complicated everything around us is.
Physics has been an interest of mine since I was at school; I’ve always had a fascination for how and why things work the way they do and so it was the natural choice for my degree subject. On top of this, I like to learn in different ways, and the mix of hands-on lab work, research, and taught courses is fantastic. I chose Aberdeen in particular because of the renowned Physics department, the extracurricular opportunities and the location - right between the mountains and the sea!
I’ve really enjoyed Advanced Practical Physics - spending long days in the lab is tiring yet rewarding and the feeling of success after getting good results is a great feeling indeed. Not to mention there’s no exam at the end!
Another thing I’ve really enjoyed about the degree has been the top notch lecturers. The two who stand out the most for me have been Dr Ross Macpherson and Dr Ekkehard Ullner, who are interesting and engaging in completely different ways and are always willing and able to answer questions and help students who need it.
I always knew that I wanted a career in the sciences but never really had a clear career path in my mind. I enrolled at the University of Aberdeen in 2006 to study Mathematics due to the reputable degree offered. However, at my supervisor meeting during Freshers week I was advised to take some physics courses to compliment the necessary maths courses for my chosen degree. It was the best decision ever.
The University of Aberdeen had a fantastic programme combining the best of maths and the best of physics in one degree providing a breadth of courses detailing many theoretical concepts and experimental techniques. I gained my BSc (Hons) in Mathematics-Physics in 2010 and have never looked back.
After graduating I had a chat with my soon to be PhD supervisor where we discussed a research project about investigating bone replacement materials and bone degenerative diseases. I jumped at the chance to continue my academic career; it combined experimental physics, lab work, analytical techniques and had an industrial link, it ticked all my areas of interest. This project really cemented my passion for scientific investigation and for experimental physics, always feeling at home in the lab.
Throughout my PhD I was also given the opportunity to travel the world for conferences and for experimental research at different user facilities. Being involved in research isn’t just about sitting behind a desk reading papers, it is a fantastic world of collaboration, discussion and new ideas.
