Category: Students

Emre Yavuz, Taught Postgraduate, Department of Brain Sciences

“Working with my peers to overcome the inevitable challenges we have faced during the pandemic has made my student experience the best it could be.”   

I recently graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a BSc in Neuroscience and started my Master’s degree in Translational Neuroscience in the autumn. I am fascinated by several areas of neuroscience, including psychedelics and dementia care, and technology. I hope to carry out my Master’s thesis in psychedelic research, and I aspire to continue my studies with a PhD in this field. One of my life goals is to combine science and technology to massively improve the quality of life of those suffering from debilitating neurological diseases.     (more…)

Leonardo Zea Reyes, Research Postgraduate, Centre for Environmental Policy

“I’m investigating how to better integrate climate policies into city planning with a focus on human health.” 

I’m an Environmental Policy Research PhD student at the Centre for Environmental Policy. My Master’s is in Urban Management and Development with a specialisation in Environment and Climate Change and studied Architecture. I have broadened my scope from a siloed area such as architecture to the urban and environmental dimensions. 

I’m investigating how to better integrate climate policies into city planning with a focus on human health using a systems-thinking approach – which means thinking about the greater picture. Additionally, I am a partner at Cónclave Consultora, a consultancy that helps people who want to construct a building through recommendations that consider the entire development as a whole. In the process, we conduct an environmental impact assessment – an application of my academic preparation at Imperial.  (more…)

Shiya Li, Research Postgraduate, Dyson School of Design Engineering

“Within three months of starting, we launched Mensura Mask and started to provide free custom-fit mask CAD models to the public.” 

I am a final year PhD student at the Dyson School of Design Engineering, working to develop novel design methods to quickly and automatically create custom-fit Computer-Aided Design (CAD) models of facial wearable products. I started out looking at Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP) mask for sleep apnoea patients but later refocused to PPE respirator masks due to COVID-19. Prior to joining Imperial, I studied aerospace engineering and worked extensively on 3D printing.   (more…)

Caryn Urbanczyk, Research Postgraduate, Departments of Bioengineering and Surgery & Cancer

“I was awarded a President’s PhD Scholarship to pursue research in shoulder and spine biomechanics during rowing.” 

Before joining Imperial in 2017, I received my bachelor’s degree at the University of California San Diego, completed my Master’s at Duke University, and worked as a patent examiner for the US Patent and Trademark Office.      

I was awarded a President’s PhD Scholarship to pursue research in shoulder and spine biomechanics during rowing. My focus on performance assessment and mechanisms of injury saw me working with collegiate and national teams to improve biofeedback to athletes and coaches.  (more…)

Meriame Berboucha, Research Postgraduate, Department of Physics

“We’re all in this together, and my supervisor at Imperial and here at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have been so supportive.” 

I’m currently a Plasma Physics PhD student but I’m based at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, so being in quarantine in the US has been interesting. On top of that, I only just started my PhD at Imperial a few months ago ago! It’s not only weird tuning in to lectures at 2 AM, but not being able to meet other PhD students at Imperial has been a little hard.  (more…)

Shafina Vohra, Research Postgraduate, Dyson School of Design Engineering

“My study is looking at hands-on learning in education and whether this enhances teaching and learning.” 

My freelance graphic design experience in the Middle East turned into curiosity about what happens in the brain in creative people, and this led me to completing a BSc in Psychology. After publishing my undergraduate dissertation as a research fellow, I turned to training as a teacher at the Institute of Education at UCL shortly after and fell in love with educating. I never wanted to become a teacher and dreaded the thought of teaching teenagers! But little did I know that one day, the very teens I taught would become the centre of my world.     (more…)

Promise Ahante, Taught Postgraduate, Department of Earth Science & Engineering

“The pandemic was initially very disruptive, but Imperial really helped to reduce the negative impact.” 

I’m a Master’s student in Petroleum Engineering in the Department of Earth Science and Engineering. I did my first degree in Petroleum and Gas Engineering in Nigeria, which is where I’m from. The major resource we have in Nigeria is petroleum so I was influenced by my surroundings.  

When I graduated in 2016, I worked for a short while, but I wasn’t able to get a job directly in the energy industry. I decided to go back to university to build some skills. As an international student the fees were very expensive but fortunately, Shell sponsored me for my Master’s. Imperial is a fantastic university and particularly well-regarded in the industry, so it was a great opportunity for me.   (more…)

Sirvan Almasi, Research Postgraduate, Department of Computing

“Being involved in the army reserves during the pandemic has meant that I’ve been able to give back to London and the community where I live.”

I am a PhD student in the Centre for Cryptocurrency Research and Engineering and a member of the Army Reserves. I joined Imperial when I began my PhD in 2018. After my Master’s, I worked in finance for a short while before deciding that I wanted a change in career. I knew I wanted to return to academic research but also wanted to maintain my interest in finance and management, and now my PhD in blockchain identity systems and information security combines both these interests. (more…)

Madina Wane, Research Postgraduate, Department of Life Sciences

“I am grateful to community initiatives, including the African-Caribbean Research Collective and Black British in STEM, that have connected me with many other Black students both at Imperial and beyond.” 

I have been at Imperial for eight years and I am now in the final stage of my PhD. I first came to Imperial as an undergraduate in 2012 and it feels strange to finish my time here away from peers and colleagues. However, during this time I have enjoyed having regular online catch ups with my research group and adapting to this new mode of working together. Being able to discuss our work has been a bit of a break from all the uncertainty.   (more…)

Haron Shams, Undergraduate, Dyson School of Design Engineering

“I chose Design Engineering because it was about building something and getting it out into the real world.”

I was born in Afghanistan but grew up in Stoke-On-Trent. It was in secondary school that I really started getting into science. First, I got into physics – I think you can basically know everything if you know physics. Then, I became interested in how you can apply physics to make real things, which is how I discovered engineering. I was also interested in computer science because I wanted to make my own video game. (more…)