One important factor for me to choose the University of Wolverhampton for my PhD program was the faculty and facilities. The supervisory team in particular, headed by Dr Iza Radecka, was crucial in influencing my decision to pursue a PhD at the University of Wolverhampton. In addition, the program was fully funded along with a bursary, which always helps.

Why did you choose the University of Wolverhampton for your doctoral studies?

One important factor for me to choose the University of Wolverhampton for my PhD program was the faculty and facilities. The supervisory team in particular, headed by Dr Iza Radecka, was crucial in influencing my decision to pursue a PhD at the University of Wolverhampton. In addition, the program was fully funded along with a bursary, which always helps.

What did you enjoy most about being a doctoral student at the University of Wolverhampton?

The primary enjoyment during my PhD came from the way my project shaped up as we went along. Again, having a competent, intelligent and motivational supervisory team to help you along the way was a boon. The University was very encouraging and had good training programmes on how to deal with the PhD program, from designing your experiments, always having a plan B to writing up your thesis. It also provides you with ample opportunities such as lecturing at the University, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

What are you doing now and how did it prepare you for your current role?

Presently, I am the Vice President at Aber Instruments Ltd, which is a Welsh bio-instrumentation company, that makes biomass sensors for biopharmaceuticals and breweries. My job requires me to travel around the world for technical support, business development etc. Apart from making me technically confident, the PhD programme at the University of Wolverhampton also taught me important soft skills, ones that I utilise very often in my current job profile. For instance, my experience of lecturing and presenting my research work during my PhD holds me in good stead when I am required to present my company's novel technology on the world platform.

What tip would you give a new doctoral student?

I am no one to give advice as such, except present my own experience. It is very important to choose the right supervisory team and a topic in which you are genuinely interested. A PhD programme is a long and exacting commitment, so it is all the more important to enjoy the process. It is also crucial to have a good work life balance, to ensure longevity.