MSc Materials Chemistry 2019 My Course Choice I came from a pure chemistry course, but had a little research experience in materials chemistry. This made the materials chemistry course very appealing as it contained further study in fundamental chemistry but also gave my studies a more specific direction, giving the opportunity to research in this area. My interest in materials chemistry began when I organised a series of research talks and tours to a surface science research centre in Liverpool. After this I kept on seeing how materials chemistry is key to solving many of the world’s problems; climate change and antibiotic resistance being just two prime examples. Having a specific course on materials chemistry which was well established and many leading researchers in a variety of materials chemistry topics made me particularly excited about this course. I cannot deny that my experience of visiting family in Edinburgh also made me excited about living and studying here. My Time at the University of Edinburgh When first joining the MSc course I was happy to see such a variety of students in our cohort. Some had a background in materials chemistry, others had experience working in industry or computational chemistry. This meant I learnt a lot from working with my peers as well as what I gained in my studies. The group work element helped this hugely and allowed us to get over the energy barrier between just sitting together in lectures to studying together and working towards the same goals. When I went on to choose my research project I was excited about how much choice I had. I could not only meet with lecturers in the department to discuss topics and choose a supervisor, I could also propose topics I was interested in. I was able to find a project that I had never considered before I came to Edinburgh but was designed around new research topics and my interests. I also included a bit of experience outside my degree, using python, to aid my project. The whole course felt determined and designed around the students. I never got a lot of time to take part in societies but the option was always there. Just living in Edinburgh, going for hikes on the weekend and visiting the Union bars after a tiring week with course mates gave my studies the balance it needed and made me feel included in the Edinburgh community. After Graduation I applied for research positions during my course. Many of these lead to final stage interviews and interesting discussions, when I saw my research experience was highly valued and helped me to stand out. Although I decided to continue my studies at the University of Edinburgh instead, this helped me understand the potential of my degree. An MSc in materials chemistry not only allowed me to discover my research interests but also proved my research skills and understanding of chemistry, allowing me to pursue a PhD in a topic I am very interested in. This article was published on 2023-10-16
