Student profiles - postgraduate research
Our postgraduate researchers shared their experiences of studying at Nottingham.
Lorna Burnell
PhD Mathematics
Whilst studying for my BSc in Geography at the University of Nottingham, I heard about the Modelling and Analytics for a Sustainable Society (MASS) Doctoral Training Centre (DTC) through one of my undergraduate lecturers.
I am passionate about sustainability and being able to help build a future world more resilient to climate change. A PhD in mathematics appealed to me because it offered an exciting opportunity to develop my statistical knowledge further as well as enabling me to broaden my skills-base to tackle research in this area. The course enables me to develop my programming skills and statistical knowledge which are both excellent areas to improve upon for my future employability.
I have been impressed with the extremely high calibre of the academic staff here. The support provided is excellent and the teaching staff offer invaluable insight and feedback on my research.
The best experience of my PhD so far has been being part of the MASS group and the great atmosphere it creates. We all get on really well and have arranged many social events outside of office hours. Everyone is very supportive, offering help to each other with our projects as well as collaborating with each other on the sustainability challenges we have undertaken.
After my PhD I want to continue in research and I hope that I can use everything I have learnt over the course of my project to help me secure a post-doctorate research position.
I would highly recommend my course and I can attribute this to my passion for my project, the excellent working environment and because of the great people I get the chance to work with.
Edward Acheampong
PhD Mathematics
My interest in mathematics dates back to my early childhood. I have always excelled in mathematics and mathematics-related subjects in senior high school. My motivation for pursuing a degree in mathematics stems from my understanding of the importance of mathematics in formulating and solving real-world problems.
Two years of extensive study during my Master of Statistics degree with specialization in biostatistics, and five years of working as a lecturer / researcher in statistics inspired me pursue a doctorate degree in mathematics.
My research topic is entitled “The impact of user behaviour on wastewater constituents and consequent water treatment”.
I have really enjoyed the opportunities here at Nottingham. My studies have allowed me to maximize my potential through knowledge-sharing and working with others on specialist projects including food, energy and water. I have made oral presentations on my research work, both in the UK and within the international community.
I am able to conduct my research under the supervision of several very experienced researchers which gives me a great opportunity to tap into their knowledge and experience. The research is not only related to my subject matter but has a unique blend of engineering, mathematics, statistics and computer science incorporated as well.
My research has been very enlightening, in particular on exposing new ways of solving societal problems not only using mathematics, statistics and computing but also from an engineering perspective too. I intend to use this knowledge to take up other research challenges where I can contribute to helping to find solutions to our different socio-economic problems.
The University of Nottingham is a place of excellence. I would certainly recommend my course to any student interested in Mathematics and seeking to add to their knowledge whilst looking for ways to change the future of our societies in years to come.
Simon Maurer
PhD Mathematics
I chose the University of Nottingham for postgraduate study as the course in financial and computational maths has the perfect mix of applied and theoretical mathematical modules, as well as its strong emphasis on being market-ready. The most exciting part of applied mathematics is that there are many applications; often theoretical problems that can be applied to numerous fields, such as physics and biology.
The teaching was overall very good and at a high level. In my experience the class size was less than 20, which allowed a good student-teacher interaction, and so it was never a problem to ask questions and discuss topics.
After my MSc, I decided to stay at here to continue with a PhD in Mathematics. In the years leading up to doing my PhD, I have always received great support by my supervisor to try different jobs and discuss possibilities after my PhD within research and the industry. All university staff and supervisors are very supportive during any phase of postgraduate student life. During my PhD, the work has been much more independent, allowing me to develop more as an individual.
Postgraduate research