George Rudman

In this profile, George reflects on his MSc Materials Chemistry studies at the School of Chemistry, including advice for future students and personal highlights from his time living and studying in Edinburgh.

Name George Rudman
Degree MSc Materials Chemistry
Year of graduation 2021

My Course Choice

I first became interested in materials chemistry while studying for a BSc. I have experience working in the chemical industry from a placement year and have been inspired to pursue a PhD and a career in scientific research. I understand that an MSc is a great opportunity to continue learning past the undergraduate level and bridge the gap between undergraduate study and a PhD project.

I was drawn to MSc Materials Chemistry because it is divided between an examined learning component and a research component. The learning component teaches you about recent advancements within the world of materials chemistry with an emphasis on the breakthrough research being conducted within the school. Not only does this increase your knowledge of the subject area, but also helps in identifying potential PhD project areas you may be interested in. The research component gives you the opportunity to develop your presentation, report writing and experimental skills, all of which are hugely important someone who is looking to go on to study a PhD or develop a career in science. Pairing these factors with the university’s fantastic academic reputation and the opportunity to live and study in such a wonderful and historic city made it the right MSc for me.

George Rudman

My Time at the University of Edinburgh

Even though Covid has put pressure on the University to change the way the course is conducted, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in Edinburgh so far. Although some of the course material is complex in nature, online lectures can be revisited at any time and the lecturers are always quick to respond to any questions with good explanations. A large part of the first semester was carrying out a literature review on a complex topic. My project supervisor was fantastic in his explanation of the topic area and his enthusiasm for the topic made what could have been a long and tedious project, an interesting and enjoyable learning experience. I have also had the opportunity to work with other students on a scientific presentation project. Everyone in my presentation group was very friendly, easy to get on with and passionate about achieving high marks. We met up several times to work on the presentation and enjoyed producing a high-quality piece of work together.

When you need a break from work, Edinburgh is a lovely city to relax in. It is a special city because it has many large parks and plenty of hiking trails and hills to explore. When I moved up to Edinburgh I joined the University running club and have had the opportunity to train and race with them. Just as I did when starting the MSc Materials Chemistry course, I felt very welcomed and included within the running club community.

Student Wisdom

There is a large focus on research when doing an MSc and it is important to be familiar with the material that you will be learning about. I would suggest to first go and look at the research being carried out within the School of Chemistry. The academics that run the course are all experienced researchers and experts within their respective fields and as part of the MSc course you will be carrying out an extended research project within one of the research groups in the School of Chemistry. It is a good idea to think ahead and have an area of research in mind that you may want to investigate.

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