STEM Student Testimonials

Simon Allen

MEng Mechanical Engineering

The opportunity to go to NESCO for six sessions in 2nd year allowed me to learn new skills such as arc welding, surveying, and soldering. These were a nice change of pace from the usual university routine. This chance to get hands-on experience contributed to my overall education within my degree.

Umama Bendaoud

BEng Chemical Engineering

I chose this degree as it involved all the STEM subjects that I was interested in studying with a combination of theoretical and practical knowledge.

The professors at the University of Aberdeen have made my degree not only enjoyable but full of support and opportunities. The lecturers in the Engineering schools are not only knowledgeable but they also value and care about their students’ wellbeing and development. I would also like to highlight the various opportunities that the University of Aberdeen offers such as summer projects and extracurricular activities which I benefitted from throughout my degree.

Casimir de Bonneval

BEng Civil and Structural Engineering

During my time at university, I got the opportunity to gain work experience as a worksite manager assistant and works director assistant at NGE. This gave me a very real and complete appreciation of the field of construction. I gained an understanding of what it entails, who works there, how people work and how hard it is, both for the people on the ground and the people in the offices.  

Chiara Ferdynus

MEng Electrical and Electronics Engineering

I only decided to study Electrical Engineering halfway through my second year at university. Like most high school students, I did not know exactly what I wanted to study. I enjoyed maths, physics and problem solving but didn’t know which engineering discipline would suit me best. That is why General Engineering seemed like the optimal choice as it gave me a chance to explore multiple degree programs and decide based on my experience. To add to my experience, I gained an internship at BP. I worked as an Electrical Engineering intern in the instrumentation and controls team. I found it very exciting and engaging as I had my projects, one of them being the development of a catalogue for subsea electrical equipment for which I closely worked with suppliers, getting an insight into other companies as well.

Orlagh Fraser

MChem Chemistry

I enjoyed the research lab visits I did as part of one of my first-year courses. I got to see a glimpse of the research that goes on at the University and learn more about what I could do with a chemistry degree.

David Grant

MEng Chemical Engineering

For as long as I can remember I have been interested in how things are produced, ranging from a bottle of wine, through medication, to electricity. From there it was a small step to discover how all these were produced on huge scales. After some research on the internet, I discovered that at the very heart of all production and consumption was a team of chemical engineers. After some more in-depth reading, I was convinced that chemical engineering was the degree I wanted to pursue.

Aberdeen stood out when applying for university positions as it offered more than just a chemical engineering degree. The first 2 years encompass all aspects of engineering, which weren’t offered at the other universities I was considering. At first glance, it may seem strange that you are covering different engineering disciplines, however, no engineering problem focuses solely on a single discipline. With this approach, the University of Aberdeen offered the chance to develop myself as an all-around engineer with insights into each disciple, while still achieving a fully accredited chemical engineering degree. This made my choice to study at the University of Aberdeen an easy one.

Amy Morris

Molecular Biology BSc 

Did the University's league table rankings and reputation for research and teaching influence your decision to study here?

Definitely. When I was looking at Aberdeen I was impressed by its high rankings in medical science and reputation for research. It was also important to me that it had a high student satisfaction ranking, as I wanted to be sure I would be both interested in my course and enjoy the student life in Aberdeen.

Was the option to study a range of different subjects a key aspect in you deciding to study at Aberdeen?

The wide array of elective courses on offer at the University were definitely a key factor in my decision to study here. During my first year, with the room for elective courses on my timetable, I was able to study sports science which is a course I had considered studying full-time. This allowed me to explore my interest in both subjects and made my decision to study in Aberdeen a lot easier as I didn’t have to choose between two subjects I was passionate in.

How have the teaching and research facilities available enhanced your time on campus?

The excellent teaching and research facilities on campus have really enhanced my time here. Getting the opportunity to work with industry-standard equipment in labs has provided me with valuable experience that I am sure will help me in the future. I have made the most use of The Sir Duncan Rice Library, which is my favourite place to study on campus. It is a great place to focus on your work and also has plenty of text books and reports to help you study.

What opportunities have been made available to you during your time at the University?

During my first two years here I have received a lot of valuable career advice information, both through the University's Careers and Employability Service and from lecturers. Through the University I successfully applied for a six-month marketing internship which has allowed me to gain work experience in a new career area. I have also had the opportunity to be a participant in honours project experiments which has given me an insight into many different research areas.

What would you say is the best aspect of living in Aberdeen?

Due to Covid-19 I was unable to visit Aberdeen before enrolling. When I first came to the city, I was impressed by its vibrancy and how much there was to do and explore. Having experienced both rural living and city living I feel like Aberdeen strikes the perfect balance. The city has a lively nightlife and plenty of shops, restaurants, galleries and museums whilst also being beside beautiful beaches and the Cairngorms national park. There are excellent public transport links in the city which has allowed me to explore many different areas of the city and surrounding area during my time here.

How did you choose your course at the University of Aberdeen?

I chose my course at the University of Aberdeen after speaking to several lecturers on virtual information days. They were able to advise me on what courses best fit my interests and the paths these could lead to. I came to university straight from school and had only experienced high school biology, so the advice from the University was extremely useful. I am now two-thirds of my way through second year and still find my course interesting and eye-opening.

Ollie Slater

Marine Biology

Studying Marine Biology has given me so many skills that have set me up for my future career. I find the course really interesting and the engaging labs and lectures have opened my eyes to so many new areas of research.

Samuel Thamm

Chemistry

I chose Aberdeen due to the great chemistry facilities that the university has got to offer. The staff were all very welcoming and made me feel like I was part of the university from the moment I met them at the offer holder’s day. This made me feel confident in starting my journey at the University of Aberdeen.