MChem Chemistry with Materials Chemistry with a Year Abroad 2016 Your Time at the University The University of Edinburgh School of Chemistry has been my first choice because it offered the degree programme most specific to my interest: Materials Chemistry. The courses have been well balanced between classroom lectures, hands-on laboratory work, collaborative group projects and supervised individual work. The topics of study have been varied throughout which provided a great way to explore new areas and discover what I liked most about Chemistry. In my second year I was elected to represent the School of Chemistry student body. This role provided us students with a sense of empowerment and independence. During regular meetings with the School of Chemistry board we have been able to raise questions, voice concerns, suggest new opportunities for improvement or simply listen in on what had been on-going. During the first three years we have been able to choose the courses most aligned with our interests and degree. This high level of flexibility at Edinburgh especially attracted me because it offered the opportunity to explore new subjects (including Spanish and Economics!), become more aware of my strengths and weaknesses, broaden my horizon and make great new friends. For my fourth year I had been given the opportunity to complete my research project abroad at the NTU in Singapore. This year has been my personal highlight because it allowed me to grow and develop tremendously - not only academically but also personally. Our supervisor from Edinburgh came to visit twice during this year which made me feel supported and connected to my ‘home’ in Edinburgh. During the summers I chose to intern at various companies (Bayer in Basel, Switzerland, and Jebsen & Jessen in Bangkok, Thailand, after my year abroad). I would highly recommend this experience to anyone who has the opportunity because it offers great insight into the corporate environment – an asset which will come in handy when you start working! Overall, my time at the University has been an unforgettable learning experience: I have started my journey with the dream of studying Chemistry, while five years later I graduated with two world-class degrees: one in Chemistry and another in the Chemistry of life. Your Experiences Since Leaving the University After graduating university it can sometimes feel overwhelming to figure out what’s next. With a degree in my hands and a bucket full of experiences, I have found it challenging at first to decide how to proceed. I returned home to my parents in Switzerland where I soon realised how well employers responded to my academic degree from Edinburgh. This has opened doors for me! I started working as a laboratory technician in an analytical water laboratory in Switzerland, but soon chose to move to Amsterdam to live with my boyfriend. There, I was offered a job in the laboratory for the oil field service company Halliburton. This position has been a great learning experience because it challenged me to apply my Chemistry knowledge from Edinburgh to a new environment. I was lucky to have received many training opportunities during this year, including a trip to the HQ in Houston, USA, and a training conference in Stavanger, Norway. Despite this fantastic opportunity, I realised that the oil field industry as well as working in the laboratory did not match my true career aspirations. It took bravery for me to embrace this change, but I decided to switch industries to something more aligned with my personal interests: Flavours and Fragrances. I was offered a position in Regulatory Affairs at the industry leader Givaudan in Amsterdam. This opportunity had been greatly influenced by my previous internship experience in Regulatory Affairs at Bayer in Switzerland. After my first year with Givaudan, I was relocated to their Innovation Centre in Zurich, Switzerland. Ever since then, I have made a few more job switches in order to gain additional business experience and confirm which direction I truly wish to pursue. I am now working for Estée Lauder as a Compliance Analyst in the cosmetics industry. Edinburgh University has provided me with the stability of a world-class Chemistry degree which has been a tremendous asset during my first years after graduating! Additionally, Edinburgh has taught me to always stay curious, embrace my ambitions, seek new opportunities and never stop believing in myself! I wouldn’t have it any other way. Alumni Wisdom Embrace the opportunities that you are given! Even if it might seem scary or unsuitable at first, choose to participate in extracurricular activities. They will broaden your horizon, get you out of your comfort zone, teach you unexpected lessons about life and most importantly empower you to be your authentic self. Eventually, it is often those opportunities – your most unexpected experiences or unplanned choices - which lead the way ahead! Embrace them, because you can only win. This article was published on 2023-10-16
