Blog posts

Reflecting on my Materials Research Project

Written by Chukwudike Ukeje, a taught postgraduate student in the Department of Materials.

Chukwudike recently completed a year studying for an MSc in Advanced Materials Science and Engineering, which included a research project at the White City campus. In this post, he shares more about his research project, using our new facilities and solving hypotheses in the lab. In this post, he shares more about his research project, using our new facilities and solving hypotheses in the lab.

My MSc research was in the functional materials research area, where I carried out a project on the topic “Development of Barium Calcium Zirconium Titanite (BCZT) thin films for applications in capacitive thermoelectric converters”. 

A PhD Student’s Experience of Studying a MRes Molecular Engineering

Written by Fei Gao, an alumnus from the cohort of Class 2020 at Molecular Engineering MRes, and now a PhD student in the department of Chemistry.

I was facing the uncertainty of what I would do after graduating with my undergraduate degree. Before the pandemic, my plan was straightforward – pursuing a master’s degree and then start looking for a PhD position. The breakout of COVID-19 interrupted my plans, I had no idea where my life would be. Luckily, I received two university offers! One offer was from the Molecular Engineering MRes from Imperial College London and the other offer was an MSc course from another university based in London.

Summer Ball 2022

Yee Tong Siow

MEng Mechanical Engineering

Having been in Imperial for four years, I’ve never previously attended Summer Ball before. It doesn’t help that the event had to be cancelled two years in a row due to the pandemic. Back in my first year, I decided not to attend Summer Ball as ticket prices were quite high, and being a fresher, I was more conscious about my expenses and decided that I have many more years to head to the ball if I were to change my mind. As I was living right opposite the college, I distinctly remember seeing a bunch of people with suits and dresses strolling across Exhibition Road, ready for a night to celebrate the end of the academic year.

First In Person STEM Ambassador Workshop

Yee Tong Siow

MEng Mechanical Engineering

During the start of the pandemic, I like most other students, started going about finding new hobbies and new events to keep myself occupied while being confined in my own room. Some people decided to join new clubs and societies, while some decide to pick up a new skill. I found an advertisement from the college regarding joining their Recruitment and Outreach Student Ambassador team. This stuck out for me as part of the job scope focused on working with students from ages 6-18 to capture their interest and help develop their passion for studying STEM. As I have previously tutored peers and students back when I was studying for my A-Levels, I always enjoyed finding different methods to break down complex topics into fun and engaging ways to help people understand them better.

How To Enjoy West End Musicals With A Budget

Yee Tong Siow

MEng Mechanical Engineering

One of the biggest highlights in London is its abundance of musicals and shows in the West End. From classics such as The Phantom of the Opera to new musicals such as Dear Evan Hansen, everyone is certain to find something that they can enjoy. However, musical tickets can get pretty pricey too, and as a student on a budget, it can sometimes be hard to enjoy these privileges. I hope to use this blog to show some tricks and insights on how to get cheaper show tickets!

  1. Buy tickets for preview shows Preview periods often last between a week and a month depending on the size of the production.

What I’ve Learned In My Four Years in Mechanical Engineering

Yee Tong Siow

MEng Mechanical Engineering

My perception of Mechanical Engineering has changed so much from before entering University, and after finishing my final paper of the course. A huge part of my inspiration to study Mechanical Engineering came from my father, who works in the manufacturing industry producing and delivering boiler plants. However, coming to Imperial has opened up my mind to so much more, regardless of it being content within my course, or experiences gained elsewhere.

What did I learn in the course? 

Some expectations were aligned with what I thought University life would be like. Lectures are still mostly delivered in lecture theatres, and we definitely have more group work and assignments compared to A-Levels.

What makes a degree in Materials Science so great?

Written by Sulayman Hussain, second-year Materials Science

I first came across Materials Science in my sixth form at a guest lecture discussing Formula One cars. Why is it that some materials will deform lots under force, like a carbon fibre chassis, and others remain rigid? Why do we use nickel single crystals in the fiery core of a jet engine and aluminium alloys elsewhere? And what is the process of digging rocks out of the earth and transforming them into these high-performance structures?

As is often the case, having been exposed to Materials Science once, I started seeing them everywhere. It seemed like every week; Materials scientists made a breakthrough.

4 things I wish I knew before attending Imperial College

Written by Maria Villamil, MSc Applied Computational Science and Engineering.

If you are applying to Imperial College London, if you have applied or if you have accepted an offer from the college – I should start with a heartfelt congratulations. It is no small feat! Imperial represents the best of the best, and you ought to be very proud.

Growing up in London, I often walked past Imperial dreaming of the day that I would be a student at the College. From an outside perspective, Imperial is the epitome of scientific knowledge, not to mention the spectacular campus buildings located in South Kensington.

What’s the Point of Exams Anyway?

Anya Nanchahal

Medicine

With Easter having come and gone there’s one word which everyone has started hearing a bit more frequently- exams. While the style and timing of exams vary from course to course, every university student invariably faces some form of assessment year on year. They’re not fun. No one likes doing them. What’s even the point of them?

That question is one I’ve definitely asked at some point- albeit usually as exam season starts looming. After all, isn’t the purpose of higher education to develop skills rather than smash through multiple choice questions accurately? You can’t blame a student from feeling somewhat resentful that their ability and dedication to a subject across a whole year is gauged based on an exam sat within a few hours.

Exam study Tunes Recommendations

Yee Tong Siow

MEng Mechanical Engineering

Easter break is always a conflicting time for most students. On one hand, we finally get to take some time off and catch up on lectures and worksheets, while enjoying the change of weather. On the other hand, this signifies the arrival of our end of year exams and the endless amount of revision associated with it. I’m someone who always needs to have my headphones on in order to focus on my work. I love the feeling of sitting in a coffee shop while putting on a pair of ANC headphones and listening to my tunes. Even if there are people rushing about around me, a good tune will allow me to focus on my work easily.

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