Category: Students

S L Reid-Collins, Postgraduate, Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication

“I am proud to be queer – it has given me the drive to do as much as I can to combat any biases and injustices within science and healthcare.”

Celebrating LGBT History Month

I joined the College’s Science Communication Master’s programme in September last year. The course fits me perfectly and allows me to combine my love of writing, investigating and the sciences. Prior to joining the course I’d studied journalism at undergraduate level, and was always keen to follow this into science communication and reporting. (more…)

Sherifat Yesufu-Rufai, Research Postgraduate, Department of Chemical Engineering

“I didn’t realise how supportive of parenthood Imperial was – from the nursing room to the childcare centre. I immensely appreciate the College’s understanding that you can work in academia and be a parent.”

I was born and raised in Nigeria. I received a BEng in Chemical Engineering from the University of Benin, and subsequently obtained an MSc in Chemical Process Engineering from UCL. I started my PhD at Imperial in September 2017, receiving a scholarship from the Department of Chemical Engineering in collaboration with Shell. (more…)

David Tyoember, Undergraduate, Department of Chemistry

“I feel that Imperial’s willingness to support new initiatives is something I have benefited from, especially as this year I was able to start up a new Rap Society.”

During my time at Imperial, I’ve been involved in a few different extracurricular activities. In my first year, I developed an interest in under-representation in certain spaces, and decided to run for the position of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Officer. I also took up a role in the College’s Race Equality Charter Self-Assessment Team, as well as becoming the Vice President (VP) of Diversity within the Investment Society, which was a new role at the time. (more…)

Hans Chan, Undergraduate, BSc Chemistry

“Imperial is more than just an academic institution – there is a culture of facilitating innovation and helping students to implement and execute great ideas, which you might not find in a pure research environment.”

Since starting my Chemistry degree at Imperial, I have been involved in a variety of things – from being a part of the Robotics and Drone society, to getting involved in tech entrepreneurship competitions hosted by the College.

The College has incredible resources, which enable both students and staff to carry out ground-breaking work in both natural sciences and engineering. At Imperial, there is a celebratory feel in the air whenever something new is created, and this is an environment I enjoy being part of. Imperial is more than just an academic institution – there is a culture of facilitating innovation and helping students to implement and execute great ideas, which you might not find in a pure research environment. (more…)

Kitan Oyeleke, Undergraduate, Department of Chemical Engineering

“I am lucky to have lecturers who are leaders in their fields, friends who are some of the smartest people I’ve ever met, and access to a wealth of resources.”

Celebrating our community for Black History Month

I’m the type of person that likes to be involved in activities beyond studying, and the range of clubs and societies that Imperial offered were very attractive to me. Since starting at the College, I have joined the Netball club, African Caribbean Society (ACS) and the Engineering Change Society.

I’m really aware of the opportunities I have as an Imperial student. I think it’s quite easy to take things for granted when you’re dealing with the general stress of university, but I am lucky to have lecturers who are leaders in their fields, friends who are some of the smartest people I’ve ever met, and access to a wealth of resources. I spend half of my year back home in Nigeria and the other half in the UK, and even on the other side of the world in Lagos, being an Imperial student has opened so many doors. (more…)

Pooya Hoseinpoori, Research Postgraduate, Centre for Environmental Policy

“I am developing a framework to compare different low-carbon pathways for domestic and industrial heating services.”

I was born and raised in Ahvaz, Iran, and left home at the age of 18 to study – this was the beginning of a long journey for me. I received my BSc in Mechanical Engineering from the KN Toosi University of Technology in Tehran, and then attained my MSc in Mechanical Engineering from Politecnico di Torino, Italy and RWTH Aachen University in Germany. I joined Imperial as a PhD student in the summer of 2017. Living, working and studying in different places has shaped me into a more independent and adaptable researcher. At the same time, being part of a diverse academic community has made me appreciate broader opinions and expertise. (more…)