Marine Technology student, Verity Thomas, tells us about her experiences so far studying at Newcastle University and balancing her workload with her extra-curricular activities.
I am currently a stage 2 student studying Marine Technology with Naval Architecture. The work life balance on the course is definitely manageable. Stage 2 is quite different to Stage 1, in which we had a 9am start every day. In fact, being in Stage 2 can lead to much better study habits. You will no longer live on campus so popping home during every gap in your timetable is not an option, meaning that you’re more likely to go to the library or one of the many study areas on campus. The quantity of work in Stage 2 is the same as Stage 1 and although comparatively harder it is as equally challenging as Stage 1 because you know more about the subject.
To ‘switch off’ I watch a lot of Netflix and take walks in Exhibition Park with my friends. There is a lot to do in Newcastle and surrounding areas so occasionally I will go to Tynemouth or South Shields. There is so much to get involved in and I recommend people looking at the Student Union’s ‘Give it A Go’ service, where you can try anything from surfing to making baths bombs at Lush…whatever you find relaxing.
I have many hobbies and am part of eight societies Newcastle University and one club this year. That includes: 20-minute, Archery, Doctor Who, Game of Thrones, GigSoc, NerdSoc, RAG, Vegan & Vegetarian, and WetSoc. As well as this, this year, I have taken part in Fresher’s Crew, written for the Tab, and am working towards my NCL+ Careers award. I have three part time jobs, which include being a Student Ambassador, Private Tutoring, and being part of the Universities Northumbrian Naval Unit.
It is important to manage your time whilst still having fun. You need to remember why you are at university and you’re ultimately here to get a good degree, and that if you work hard now life will be easier later. It is easy to forget your priorities when there are many other reasons why you are here too. Sometimes, you’ll get behind on work because you are doing those activities, because you get sick, because you have interviews and assessment centres to go to. Once this happens, try to catch up as best as you can. If you feel like you can’t and don’t have the time to watch RECAP or see your lecturers then draw a baseline and allow yourself to focus on the new information that you are learning and realise that this often doesn’t require the old knowledge that you missed. Talk to your tutor about the situation, as they will put it into perspective, especially as so many people go through the same thing. Try to talk to people about how you feel because it is comforting to find out that you’re not the only one! And try to remember that there is still time even if it feels like it is running out before exams.
To stay disciplined whilst still having fun I recommend treating university as a full time job. If your lectures don’t start until midday then go in at 9am and do some revision for them. If your lectures finish by 3pm then go to the library until 5pm. Study in a group and then it’ll be more fun and social. Take a packed lunch and snacks and then you’ll be more inclined to work rather than having to go home or into town because you’re hungry, plus it’s cheaper! Whilst at university only dedicate your time to university stuff i.e. not replying to general emails or applying to jobs because then you’ll always be doing other chores and not your actual studying/coursework. Take your evenings and weekends to relax doing nothing in regards to university work and catch up on non-university chores such as washing and food shopping.
Find out more about our Marine Technology courses here.
Looking at statistics, it can be easy to feel frustrated at the imbalance in representation within the STEM industries.Women make up less than one quarter of all people employed in the STEM industries, and whilst there are nearly 22,000 more women working as science and engineering technicians now than in 2016, women still only make up 27% of the total. However, instead of being disheartened, we can #PressForProgress by celebrating the successful women that we do have in STEM who’s achievements can inspire the next generation of young women to follow in their footsteps.
Newcastle University are hosting a number of International Women’s Day events including two screenings of Great Unsung Women of Computing today, as well as a Maths, Stats and Physics Afternoon Tea tomorrow afternoon, to provide female staff and students with a networking opportunity.
In the Spotlight: Women in STEM
We’re proud to support many fantastic women throughout their studies and careers within our STEM subject areas here at Newcastle University. Today we’re putting a spotlight a small selection of these women and the vital research they conduct.
Hayley Fowler, Professor of Climate Change Impacts
Hayley Fowler’s research specialises in “the analysis of the impacts of climate change and variability on hydrological and water resources systems”. She teaches on Civil Engineering and Geosciences modules at Newcastle University.
Hayley highlights the challenges engineers face in the future:
“I think that the greatest engineering challenge is around climate adaptation – building low carbon cities and adapting to heat and weather extremes.
Engineering is crucial for everyone, we need to build infrastructure systems and buildings for the modern world, and design new systems to cope with our ever changing climate and extreme weather events. We need young people with bright ideas. Don’t believe that it’s only men who can do engineering, some of the best and most inventive engineers out there are women.”
Ann Daly, Professor of Pharmacogenetics
Ann Daly, a Professor of Pharmacogenetics, teaches on Newcastle University’s Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences degrees. She was recently awarded the International Society for the Study of Xenobiotics (ISSX) European Scientific Achievement award. This award celebrates Professor Daly’s “substantial and sustained scientific contributions to the field of xenobiotic disposition spanning more than four decades”. She is the first woman to ever receive this award.
Ann explains that she was inspired to pursue a career in STEM having been fascinated by the sciences at school:
“I was originally interested in chemistry, however, I found human biology and biochemistry fascinating at University and have been an active researcher in this general area now for many years.
I enjoy my job because it’s so varied – no two days are the same. There are great opportunities to train young scientists and also to work with other researchers world-wide.
If you’re interested in a career in STEM, go for it. There are a large number of different opportunities. The subjects you will need to study are not easy but there is plenty of help available and few barriers now to rewarding careers in STEM for women.”
Dr Marion Pfeifer, Lecturer in Ecology, Conservation & Management
Working within the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Marion Pfeifer’s research focuses on ecology and conservation, exploring how different species may react to climate change and human-modified landscapes.
Marion’s current research investigates the resilience of ecosystems and human /wildlife conflicts. Marion explains:
“There are a lot of arguments about how authorities should approach protected areas, whether they should be fenced or not.
Fencing, for example, can interfere with the natural territories and habitat of the wildlife. The counter argument is that people have to live with these animals, which may pose a danger to life, ruin crops or create hazards on the roads and so on. It’s an interesting topic for our research group.”
Emma Stevenson, Professor of Sport & Exercise Science
Emma Stevenson joined Newcastle University in 2015 to lead the developments in Sport and Exercise Science in the Faculty of Medical Sciences.
Emma’s work concentrates on the role of nutrition in exercise performance:
“Initially I got into sport and exercise science through my love of sport and wanting to further understand how the body responds to exercise training and activity.
My research focuses on nutritional interventions to maximise exercise recovery and the effects of exercise and nutritional interventions on appetite regulation and metabolism.
I really enjoy the diversity of my job. It is fantastic to be involved in the development of students and seeing individuals progress through their careers from undergraduate students.
If you’re looking to pursue a career in STEM, talk to as many different people working in the industry as possible. There are some many exciting career opportunities in STEM and many female role models to take inspiration from.”
As a student it can sometimes be difficult to effectively balance your studies with life outside University. In this blog post, stage 4 Chemical Engineering student Sophie Murta tells us about her experiences so far, and how she finds time to unwind.
I’m currently studying MEng Chemical Engineering as a stage 4 student. My main drivers when selecting a university were the staff. This was a huge draw of Newcastle as the staff were all really friendly and down to earth on the open days and this has continued during my time here. Everyone is happy to help whether it be academically or personally. The support in offer at Newcastle is great – not only from the staff but from fellow students also.
Stage 1 – I found stage one a great introduction to university life. The lectures and lab sessions were well structured and allowed the transition from school to university to be as easy as possible. I was also able to quickly make a good group of friends on the course as we would always have lectures together so spent a large proportion of our time together. The Chemical Engineering society was also a great way to make friends and settle in as advice from other students always helps. I always attended the society events as well which is a great way to relax with course mates and spend time together that is not work related.
Stage 2 – I found stage 2 not too different from stage one as the structure was very similar – just a larger workload and some more chemical engineering content. The contact hours slightly drop due to fewer lab sessions and the higher level of independent study required for group assignments and individual work.
Stage 3 – I enjoyed this stage the most so far as I was able to combine the skills and theory I learnt to design a plant from scratch as part of a team and a unit operation in detail. This was a great way to see the standard and quality of work that would be carried out in industry and having one project to focus on that included so many different aspects was really interesting.
Stage 4 – In the masters year the course caters for further learning and specialisation. I chose the standard chemical engineering route with an optional module of process control. Not specialising allowed me to gain a broad understanding of each sector, which I found gave me flexibility when applying for jobs. The other main part of stage 4 is the research project which has allowed me to develop further lab and research skills as I have designed my own experiments and project, which I am able to dictate the direction of. This gives a sense of freedom and autonomy that I feel is preparing me well for the world of work.
To switch off from my course and work I like to get involved with a lot of things that Newcastle has to offer. My hobbies include participating in the student brewing society (StuBrew) which I have been involved in since stage 1. In stage 3 I was elected president of the society, which was a great experience as I was able to work with a fantastic team on a project we were all passionate about. I also enjoy watching sports, going to gigs and eating out with friends all things Newcastle is great for.
During my time at university I have had many part time jobs, from working as a student ambassador at the university to working in bars and restaurants. I have mainly taken these over the summer to allow me to focus on studies during the academic year.
I manage my time by trying to treat my course like a job – I will work 9-5 on weekdays which allows me evenings and weekends to relax or to catch up if I need any additional study time. This allows me to switch off from work and allocate my free time to socialising or other hobbies and interests.
Find out more about Newcastle University’s Chemical Engineering courses here.
In this blog post mechanical engineering student Jenny Olsen takes us through a typical day for her, and explains what she loves about her course and being in Newcastle.
I chose Mechanical Engineering as I wanted to study a degree that covered lots of different areas of STEM. I’m really interested in Bio-Mechanical Engineering, but I’m also a big motorsport fan – studying Mechanical Engineering allowed me to pursue many things I was interested in whilst also keeping my career options open.
In a typical week I’d expect three full days of lectures, a day in the lab working on my group project and one day either on an industrial visit or a half-day practical assessment. The industrial visits were really fun. We got to learn some great skills – my favourite visit was to Caterpillar in Peterlee where I got a tour of the facilities and learned how to weld!
My most varied day is Friday – where I spend the morning in lectures and the afternoon working with my engineering team on our group project in the lab. Here’s a look at what you’d be studying if you decided to join us as a Mechanical Engineering student:
9am
To start the day, a mechanics lecture. I was really worried when I joined University that I’d struggle with mechanics because I didn’t study Physics at A level. Thankfully, first semester is mainly just a recap over topics covered at A level and our lecturer explained them really well. I managed to keep up and actually really enjoy the subject!
10am
Next, a maths tutorial. Here’s your chance to ask your lecturers or tutors any questions you have regarding the work covered during the week. This year, there are around 150 first year Mechanical Engineering students – this means that having the opportunity to get 1 to 1 help from a tutor or lecturer is really helpful! Most modules have tutorial sessions throughout the week.
11am
We were taught to solder a simple circuit board in an Electrical Engineering practical session
Back to lectures for an hour. In a week, on average only 13 of your contact hours are lectures. Mechanical Engineering is a very diverse subject so expect lots of variety in your timetable. In addition to the lectures and tutorials I’ve already mentioned, you’ll have lots of practical sessions to do – for example I recently completed an Electrical Engineering lab where we learned to solder a small circuit board! This was a great experience – it was lots of fun and quite a challenge as it’s something I didn’t expect to learn as a Mechanical student. Like soldering, lots of the practical skills you’ll learn are not only relevant to the course but really useful for everyday life!
12pm
Time for lunch – an hour off to rest before the practical session on the afternoon. My favourite place to have a relaxing lunch would be the Quilliam Brothers Teahouse, just off Haymarket metro. Alternatively, I’d also recommend bringing a packed lunch, sitting outside and taking in the scenery of the campus – it looks amazing in Spring!
A photo of the tulips outside of the Old Library, where you can sit outside and enjoy lunch
1pm
As an engineering student you’ll learn how to use CAD (Computer Aided Design) software to make digital models of your projects. This is a really useful skill for industry as many engineering companies require you to be comfortable using CAD and digital modelling software. Before the practical session starts, we get a short lecture about a CAD technique that we can use when we’re working on our projects.
Then, we all head to the labs in the Stephenson Building to work in groups on our projects. In first year, my group project has been to build a small turbine. This is the most ‘hands on’ part of the degree, and in my opinion the most fun. We started the year by making a turbine from recycled components, then improved our design and made another from new parts. This involved budgeting, sourcing parts and learning practical skills in the lab to assemble our turbine.
Two of my team members and myself with our completed turbine ready to be tested in the Stephenson Building
5pm
Time to head home – I don’t live near campus as I live at home, but thankfully there’s plenty of transport links to and from the city centre such as the Metro or the Buses. This also makes it really easy to see other parts of the North East! After a long day in lectures why not take a trip to Tynemouth Beach or Jesmond Dene to relax?
I’ve really enjoyed studying Mechanical Engineering at Newcastle, it’s been a challenge, but definitely worthwhile! I’ve learned so many practical skills that I wouldn’t have learned otherwise and made some great friends. I’ve also been lucky enough to take part in some great extra-curricular activities such as being a Street Scientist and having fun with ‘Give it a go’ activities.
Will sailing past South Georgia on the RRS James Cook
In this blog post, Dr Will Reid shares his story of how he became a marine biologist and the inspiration that led him to his exciting career choice
Blue Planet II is well underway now and for many a marine biologist, like myself, it is an opportunity to say, “I work on those” and get a bit giddy with excitement. We have seen some wonderful footage of walruses, the graceful Ethereal snailfish and colourful coral polyps. The bobbit worm seemed to get the hospital that my partner works at very excited and I’m sure last week’s episode about plastic pollution will get many people thinking about the impact our daily lives have on the ocean.
For me personally, sitting watching the second episode of Blue Planet II and seeing those hydrothermal vents was a personal highlight. It will also go down as a big landmark in my research career. I spent about four months at sea in the Antarctic across three research expeditions, during my PhD at Newcastle University. I was part of team working on the hydrothermal vents where those crabs covered in bacteria live. The inspiration that lead me to sitting on a ship, watching a video feed from a remotely operated vehicle over two kilometers below, began with another David Attenborough documentary. This was not Blue Planet I but an even earlier BBC documentary series called Life in the Freezer, which planted the seed in my mind about becoming a marine biologist.
Becoming a Marine Biologist
St Andrew’s Bay, South Georgia showing hundreds of penguins
Life in the Freezer aired in 1993. I was thirteen at the time. The opening scene where David Attenborough was standing in a vast snow and ice landscape was mesmerising. The series covered the ebb and flow of the ice around Antarctica and the animals that depend on the productive waters of the Southern Ocean. The part that really caught me was all the amazing life on the island of South Georgia. The coastal areas were packed full of elephant seals, fur seals, penguins, petrels and albatross. Little did I know that in just over ten years I would be living and working on the island.
I realised during that series that I wanted to be a scientist but not just any scientist, one that went to the Antarctic. I took Maths, English, History, Biology and Chemistry Highers and got onto a marine biology degree course. In my final year, I got my first opportunity to do some work related to South Georgia. I spent hours watching video footage of the deep-sea Patagonian toothfish and crabs attracted to baited deep-sea landers as part of my final year project. This was very fortunate because just as I was about to graduate a job working for British Antarctic Survey was advertised for a two-year fisheries scientist working on South Georgia on these animals. I applied. I got an interview. I didn’t get the job.
First disappointment, then an opportunity
The great thing about getting an interview is that you can often ask for feedback. So, I just asked the question “What skills and experience do I need to get the job?”. The answer sent me on a two-year mission in order to get what I needed second time round. This included: going back to university and doing a masters in Oceanography; learning to drive boats; sea survival training; and going to sea as a fisheries observer on a Portuguese deep-water trawler off Canada. My decision paid off because the job was advertised again. Once more I applied. Once more I got an interview.
Second time lucky
Working as a fisheries scientist – setting weekly fishing nets in Cumberland Bay
I got the job at British Antarctic Survey second time round. I was finally going to South Georgia! The next few weeks were a whirlwind of activity: medicals; advanced boat driving training; first aid courses; and learning to drive a JCB. Then I was finally deployed. I flew to down through South America to the Falkland Islands with part of the team that I would living and working with for the next two years. We sailed from the Falklands on the UK research vessel, the James Clark Ross, to South Georgia. I arrived in South Georgia on the 22nd November 2004.
The island of South Georgia was truly stunning. I spent two years on the island doing science that helped manage the commercial fisheries around the island. The research was varied. I worked on fish larvae, managed an aquarium which housed crabs, aged Patagonian toothfish using their ear bones called otoliths, undertook diet studies on icefish and went on fish stock assessments around the island.
The scenery and animal life were also truly amazing. I would go camping and hiking in order to visit Gentoo, king and rock hopper penguin colonies; climb snow-capped mountains; walk where explorers like Shackleton had been; and visit old abandoned whaling stations. The research base where I stayed was also in front of an elephant seal breeding beach for a couple of months of the year. I even met my current partner on the island. She was the doctor in my second year. But life on South Georgia had to come to an end.
Getting into hot water in Antarctica
Once I left South Georgia, I had a couple more months working for British Antarctic Survey back in Cambridge. I was wondering how on earth I would ever get back to the Antarctic. I stumbled across my next opportunity in the photocopy room. On the wall was an advert for a PhD at Newcastle University working on Antarctic hydrothermal vents. I applied. I got the PhD position. I moved to Newcastle.
The PhD was part of 5 year NERC programme trying to find and understand hydrothermal vents in the Antarctic. Hydrothermal vents are sites on the seafloor that release very hot fluids, rich in minerals into the water at the bottom of the ocean and are surrounded by high densities of life.
In 2010, I went back to the Antarctic as part of the first scientific expedition to sample these truly amazing habitats. We sailed on the UK science vessel, the James Cook with scientists from different universities around the UK. When we arrived at our first location, we used a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to dive down over 2 kms to hunt for the vents. After a number of hours searching the seafloor we eventually found our first hydrothermal vent field. There was a huge amount of relief on the boat as the scientists got to work.
We visited a series of sites over the next 6 weeks along the East Scotia Ridge. We discovered whole new communities and species and mapped where the different animals lived around the vents. My work focused on what the animals were eating and constructing food webs at each of the sites we visited.
Hydrothermal vent crabs (Kiwa tyleri)
This brings me back to those hydrothermal vent crabs in The Deep episode of Blue Plant II. The crabs live in areas where hot water pores over them which provides the conditions for the bacteria to grow. We collected the samples from the vents using a suction sampler on the ROV Isis. I then looked at the biochemical composition of the crabs and the bacteria. They were very similar. This indicated that the bacteria living on those crabs were its food source.
These large-scale scientific expeditions are collaborative efforts. Scientist never undertake their work in isolation on these types of projects. They are a team effort, bringing together scientific disciplines. I worked with scientists that had backgrounds in chemistry, geology, microbiology, biology, computer science and supported by mechanical and electrical engineers, technicians and a large ships crew. There is no way I could have undertaken this work without the support of so many scientific and technical disciplines. They helped me add meaning to my work and place the results in the context of the system.
The scientific party involved in sampling hydrothermal vents in the Antarctic
Will there be another Antarctic adventure?
Watching Blue Planet II the other weekend gave me a huge amount of personal pride. To sit there with my kids and my partner and show them on TV the Antarctic crab that I helped discover felt like a massive landmark in my scientific career. I was even there at the moment when the crab stuck its claw into the hot water. Life in the Freezer was the series that inspired me to work in the Antarctic, which set me on the road (or boat) to South Georgia for 2 years and then to studying for my PhD at Newcastle University.
For many people, Blue Planet II will inspire them too, some of whom will go into marine science as well. Whether you are into maths, biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, geology or microbiology, there is a career for you that involves our Blue Planet.
For me, I am about to start another Antarctic adventure. Next year, I am going to explore the seabed that has not been exposed to open waters for approximately 120,000 years. I’ll be spending about 3 weeks working in the area where a large chunk of the Larsen C ice-shelf broke off. The research team has been assembled from a number of different universities and institutions and will once more be a collaborative effort. It just goes to show that sometime adventures never truly end.
Every year our first year Surveying and Mapping Sciences and GIS students take part in an eight day field trip to the Seathwaite Valley in the heart of the Lake District. In this blog post Tim Hajda tells us about his experience of it last Easter.
We arrived at Glaramara House, our hotel which served as a base for the fieldcourse, on Thursday morning after a scenic two-and-a-half hour coach ride from Newcastle. The setting was stunning: a pastoral valley of green fields, dry stone walls and streams, surrounded by craggy fells, waterfalls and oak forests. Our mission was to create a detailed map of the valley, so our first task was to lay the foundations by creating a network of known reference points.
Practicing setting up targets in front of the Glaramara House, our base for the fieldcourse
Shortly after arriving we donned our high-vis and waterproofs to brush up on the surveying skills we’d be using over the next eight days. The valley is famous for being the wettest inhabited place in England, and it definitely lived up to its reputation. After a soggy afternoon of measuring angles and levelling, we dried off and enjoyed what would be the first of many delicious dinners.
On Friday morning we enjoyed a full English breakfast before beginning our next task: establishing the primary control stations (reference points) throughout the valley. We were divided into teams and taken by minibus to our assigned locations. We spent the rest of the day measuring the angles and distances between points. We would be using this data later to compute the coordinates of the stations. The blustery weather was a challenge but we persevered.
Saturday’s assignment was to determine the height of points around the valley using spirit levelling. Simple enough…or so we thought. My team quickly realized that those lovely green fields were essentially giant mud pits and the stone walls an endless maze to navigate through, but it was a great feeling when we arrived at our last benchmark. Another job finished and I’ve never been more grateful for a hot shower!
On Sunday the GIS students joined us, along with the sunshine – and we went out in teams to create secondary control networks around the valley.
Heading out into the field to design a control network.
One of my favourite aspects of the fieldcourse was working with my course mates. It provided a great opportunity to get to know each other better. Certain team members had particular strengths and we all worked together to complete our assigned tasks. At the end of the exercise it was a great feeling to look at our finished maps together and be able to say, “we made this!”
I learned a lot of valuable lessons – good communication was vital, not only among team members but also with other teams to make sure everyone got the measurements they needed. I also learned the importance of checking instrument settings before going out into the field and how important it is to book accurately and clearly with good sketches. There are few things as frustrating as trying to decipher muddled notes after a long day in the field!
Enjoying a sunny day of surveying in the beautiful Seathwaite Valley.
Another part of what made the fieldcourse enjoyable was the support of the staff and the surveying industry. Throughout the trip, the staff were always ready to patiently answer questions, transport us to and from the field and give us helpful tips. One evening, representatives from Leica Geosystems visited to present information about their company and entering the surveying industry. It was a great opportunity to learn more about the jobs we’ll be doing after graduation.
All in all, it was a fantastic week at Glaramara and it shows what makes Newcastle University’s geomatics courses different from other universities’. The hands-on learning approach using top-of-the-line equipment, in a beautiful setting, all with the constant support of a knowledgeable and patient staff, made it a truly fun and rewarding experience.
Today we are celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of Marie Sklodowska-Curie. She was a remarkable scientist whose ground-breaking research into radioactivity led to the development of cancer treatment with radioactive isotopes, and mobile X-ray units for field hospitals during World War 1.
Dr Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel prize, and the first person ever to win it twice and in two different sciences (Chemistry and Physics).
The Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship
The European Commission set up the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Research Fellowship Programme which provides two years of funding for researchers across the world and promotes interdisciplinary research and collaboration.
Dr Rodriguez-Barrueco, Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellow, Newcastle University
What does your research involve?
Ruth’s research is looking at finding a new therapeutic approach to certain aggressive types of breast cancer. She is targeting a small population of cells found within tumours that have stem cell characteristics and is hoping to describe the vulnerabilities of these cells so that new drugs can be designed that target them specifically.
Ruth is using new technologies called CRISPR libraries which allow the elimination of different pieces of DNA to identify which genes are essential for the cancer cells to survive.
All of her findings will then be published in international journals and the CRISPR library will be deposited in a public repository which is available for other cancer researchers to access.
What brought you to Newcastle University?
Ruth is originally from Barcelona and has spent time working in Spain as well as at Columbia University in New York. She explained that she enjoyed the collaborative aspect of working at Newcastle University. The proximity of the Royal Victoria Infirmary and the Northern Institute for Cancer Research also means that she is able to work on real patient tissue samples to validate her findings. She went on to praise the supportive environment within the University and her colleagues.
What do you hope your research will lead to?
Ruth hopes that the long term result of her research will be the development of new drugs that will target these currently incurable breast cancers. She would also like to see the clinical trials happening at Newcastle as there is a good structure and resources available that would allow this to happen in a short time frame.
What has the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship allowed you to do?
Ruth explained that the Fellowship has allowed her to establish the methods and collaborations which will lead to a bigger research project. She started her research in March of this year and has already started to see the benefits of the Fellowship.
“One never notices what has been done; one can only see what remains to be done”
At Newcastle University, we are proud to support our female engineers throughout their studies and their careers with us. Today we are featuring some profiles of our current students and staff and sharing their thoughts about being a woman in engineering in 2017.
Hayley Fowler, Professor of Climate Change Impacts
I did a national engineering scheme at school, there were five of us paired with British Aerospace, a local company, in lower sixth form. We made a plastic aeroplane and all the electrical and mechanical components, it was a great experience.
I ended up going to Cambridge to do Geography as I love learning about how things work, but when looking at careers I realised that I didn’t want to end up in London doing finance or management in the water industry, so I decided to do an MSc in Water Resources Systems Engineering at Newcastle University. Then I stayed on to do a PhD and the rest, as they say, is history.
I think that the greatest engineering challenge of the future is around climate adaptation – building low carbon cities and adapting to heat and weather extremes.
Engineering is crucial for everyone, we need to build infrastructure systems and buildings for the modern world, and design new systems to cope with our ever changing climate and extreme weather events. We need young people with bright ideas. Don’t believe that it’s only men who can do engineering, some of the best and most inventive engineers out there are women.
Irma Yeginbayeva, PhD Student in Marine Technology
When I was a teenager I used to watch my father repair his car and children’s bicycles. I guess that is the time when I first learned to use tools and other equipment and that planted the first seeds of interest in engineering.
Reflecting back to my skills and capabilities, which I have developed during my research project, I really see myself in academia. I try not to hinder myself professionally or gender wise.
As a person working towards sustainable shipping, I fully understand the reasons behind extensive research carried out to reduce carbon emissions and promote green energy. Reduction of greenhouse gases should be the most important thing on the agenda, especially if you think about the world’s population will grow by two billion over the next two decades.
As a female in engineering, I can see the trend of male dominance is fading. There are plenty of organisations and societies there to help and motivate women to overcome the challenges faced as a female engineer.
Goksu Kandemir, MSc Biomedical Engineering
I had a physics teacher who encouraged me to be an engineer. He helped me to discover my talents and interests. The feedback I received from my high school teachers, supervisors and my family helped me to see what I can achieve and what I want in life.
I believe that Newcastle University supports the students both academically and socially very effectively, by giving them the chance to experience things that they have not experienced before.
Do not give up if someone tells you that you cannot be an engineer just because you are a girl. If you want to be an engineer and if you think that it will make you happy, then I can guarantee that you will prove these people wrong.
Lijuan Xia, PhD Student, Electrical and Electronic Engineering
I’ve been interested in engineering since high school, I always liked physics lessons. I was so into how Steve Jobs created the iPod, iPhone and iPad during the last decade, this was the trigger for me to step into the engineering industry.
My final goal is to start up my own engineering company which will produce biomedical products to make a different in the world.
I would advise any young girls thinking about becoming an engineer to think hard, talk to smart people and keep your heart open for feedback.
Jenny Olsen, BEng Mechanical Engineering
I chose Mechanical Engineering as I wanted to study a degree that covered lots of different areas. I’m really interested in Bio-Mechanical Engineering, but I’m also a big motor sport fan – studying Mechanical Engineering allowed me to pursue many things I was interested in whilst also keeping my career options open.
Mechanical Engineering is a very diverse subject and you learn a lot of practical skills which are not only relevant to the course but really useful for everyday life. I’ve really enjoyed studying Mechanical Engineering at Newcastle, it’s been a challenge, but definitely worthwhile! I’ve learned so many practical skills that I wouldn’t have learned otherwise and made some great friends.
My advice to any girls who are thinking about engineering as possible career would be don’t be afraid to get things wrong, be confident and ask questions!
This week we interviewed Justin, a biologist who has recently started working on a PhD looking into the microbes in woodland soils and how they relate to essential processes such as decomposition.
Why is your research important?
There is a lack of current understanding of woodland soils, which are really important and we rely on them a lot so we need to have a strong understanding of them to be able to care for them effectively.
What did you do before starting your PhD?
I had a year out before starting my undergraduate degree in Biology at the University of York. During this year I travelled to America and volunteered at a bat hospital. During my first degree I had a placement year working a Kew Gardens. I helped on the millennium seed bank project which aims to conserve rare seeds from plants that are at risk of extinction.
I stayed at the University of York for my Masters Degree, but also went to Uganda in this year to study the distribution of tropical birds for my masters research. I’ve just started my first year of my PhD.
How did you decide on PhD?
I have always been interested in networks in nature, like food webs, for example. It happened that my PhD supervisor is an expert in this area so it was a great chance for me to learn more about networks.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to study at university?
Do and see as much as you can, take part in lots of different actvities and volunteer. Have a broad range of interests, not only does it look good on a CV or personal statement but it can help you discover what you want to do and it’ll help you make lots of friends once you get to uni.
What was your favourite part of university?
Meeting new people, trying new things. I tried out things like caving and scuba diving while I was at uni – things that I wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise.
Whats the best thing about being a PhD student?
Freedom learn about the things that I find interesting.
What do you plan to do in the future?
Continue to investigate how we can understand complex links between species.
Has university helped you get where you want to be?
Recently we hosted the Engineering Education Scheme at Newcastle. Year 12 students from the local area worked with industry to come up with solutions to real life engineering problems. We spoke to some of the engineers who helped on these projects to see what it’s like to be an engineer.
BAE Systems
Where and what did you study at university?
Naomi studied a Masters in Chemistry at Heriot Watt University.
Martin studied Aerospace Engineering at Bath University.
Why did you choose to study engineering?
Martin enjoyed studying Maths, Further Maths and Physics at A-Level, so decided to do engineering as it involves them all.
What do you do at your job?
Naomi is a product safety engineer. She looks at all the different types of engineering in submarines such as ventilation and the electricity and makes sure that they all mix well. She is responsible for putting processes in place to make sure that if something happens it doesn’t escalate.
Martin is a systems Engineer and has to make sure things work and integrate engineering systems.
What is the best thing you have done as an engineer?
Naomi’s favorite thing was working on Conning tower flooding (where the doors of the submarine are). If all the hatches are opened at the top of the submarine, when its at the surface it could flood. She looked at how much water a submarine could take on using models on a computer, it was really successful as it meant they stopped a big redesign of submarines.
Martin enjoys providing support for boats that are currently out on the sea. The project gave him a chance to collaborate with lots of different departments and they solved a big problem of one boat’s secondary motor which kept turning itself on and off by mistake.
Do you have any advice for students thinking about studying engineering?
Their advice is to have confidence in what you do and pick something you enjoy.
Pearson Engineering
Rosie is a graduate engineer for Pearson Engineering, who’s job involves looking at mine clearance vehicles, some of which can defuse bombs by lifting them in the air.
Where/what did you study at university?
Undergraduate in Chemistry and a Masters in Mechanical Engineering at Newcastle University.
Why did you choose to study engineering?
Rosie initially became a primary school teacher after her undergraduate degree in chemistry but missed being challenged intellectually so decided to become an engineer.
What is the best thing you have done as an engineer?
Rosie has really enjoyed working with the students at EES, as she likes working with young people.
GE Oil and Gas
Joshua and Charlie are both in their second year of studying Mechanical Engineering at Newcastle University. They work as interns at GE Oil and Gas alongside their studies.
Why did you choose to study engineering?
Joshua always liked physics and did some work experience in engineering when he was at school that he really enjoyed. He decided to go to university rather than be an apprentice as you get more hands on experience.
Charlie enjoyed studying maths and physics at school and wanted to apply it in a practical way.
What do you do at your job?
Both of them are interns but have the opportunities to do lots of different jobs.
Joshua is currently looking at the clamps, fixtures and fittings for pipes. This is really important for transporting things such as gas and oil. He carries out analysis and design using computer programmes and lots of maths.
Charlie is also working on pipes. Lots of what she does is communicating with customers to design pipes and talk about things such as price too, showing there is lots more to engineering than just being an engineer.
What is the best thing you have done as an engineer?
Joshua has really enjoyed doing an internship as its allowed him to link the real world with what he is doing at university.
Charlie had been working as a STEM ambassador to encourage girls into engineering. She wants everyone to know that engineering is much more than just fixing things and anyone can be an engineer.
Do you have any advice for students thinking about studying engineering?
Joshua’s advice is try and do some work experience, but be prepared to work hard.
Charlie says that you shouldn’t be put off by what you think engineering is, try and find out more about it as it spans many areas.
I have many hobbies and am part of eight societies Newcastle University and one club this year. That includes: 20-minute, Archery, Doctor Who, Game of Thrones, GigSoc, NerdSoc, RAG, Vegan & Vegetarian, and WetSoc. As well as this, this year, I have taken part in Fresher’s Crew, written for the Tab, and am working towards my NCL+ Careers award. I have three part time jobs, which include being a Student Ambassador, Private Tutoring, and being part of the Universities Northumbrian Naval Unit.
I’ve been interested in engineering since high school, I always liked physics lessons. I was so into how Steve Jobs created the iPod, iPhone and iPad during the last decade, this was the trigger for me to step into the engineering industry.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to study at university?
