Vanessa
PhD Modern Statistics and Statistical Machine Learning
What makes doing a PhD so rewarding is finding out new things and contributing to a community of researchers working toward the same goal of moving the field forward.
As an ‘oceanographically-enabled mathematical statistician’, Vanessa from the UK finds the ocean and mathematics enchanting. After completing her undergraduate MSci Mathematics at Imperial College London, she became interested in fluid dynamics and geophysical fluid flows – and decided that doing a PhD and mathematical ocean research at Imperial would be the perfect next step. Vanessa shares her advice for applying for a PhD, how she’s supported by the Disability Advisory Service and how Imperial has enabled her to carve out a research niche that combines her passion for mathematics and ocean sciences.
Applying for a PhD at Imperial
As an internal applicant, the first step of applying for a PhD – finding a supervisor – was more straightforward because I was already familiar with the staff in the department, and it was easier to have conversations with potential supervisors.
Once I had settled on a supervisor, we discussed the different routes I could take for completing my PhD and we decided on a Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) as a good option for me. Completing a PhD on a CDT meant I would be part of a larger cohort of students and have many training opportunities which really appealed to me.
There are a few different options for pursuing a PhD, including via departmental studentships, CDTs, Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs), or industry-sponsored and each has its pros and cons. It is crucial to weigh these up to get the most out of doing a PhD.
The most beneficial advice I was given when I started considering applying for a PhD was to reach out to potential supervisors early since a supervisor can only have so many students!
Also, make sure to keep your initial email expressing interest in PhD supervision concise since academics are busy, so the more manageable your email is to read and reply to, the more likely you are to get a reply!
Vanessa graduating with a Master's and The Royal College of Science Association Prize, awarded annually at Commemoration Day to a student who has excelled academically and made a great all-round contribution to Imperial.
Vanessa graduating with a Master's and The Royal College of Science Association Prize, awarded annually at Commemoration Day to a student who has excelled academically and made a great all-round contribution to Imperial.
Vanessa at the Climate Linked Atlantic Sector Science (CLASS) Modelling Workshop at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC).
Vanessa at the Climate Linked Atlantic Sector Science (CLASS) Modelling Workshop at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC).
Vanessa showcasing her work on predicting ocean surface currents, exploring the methods we use such as the movement of rubber ducks in the ocean.
Vanessa showcasing her work on predicting ocean surface currents, exploring the methods we use such as the movement of rubber ducks in the ocean.
I never expected to be doing my PhD research from a statistical viewpoint – I just sort of fell into it.
For most of my undergraduate degree, I disliked statistics. However, I decided it would be embarrassing to graduate from an integrated Master's in Mathematics from a world-class institution without a proper grasp of statistics. So, in my final year, I took a course on time series.
Time series analysis uses statistical tools to use sequences of measurements taken at regular time intervals, such as measuring the wind speed in front of the Imperial main entrance every hour for a week, to uncover the structure of the random process that generated the measurements, like the wind. This approach to science that acknowledged the randomness inherent to physical processes and the incompleteness of our information about them resonated with me, so I landed on statistical machine learning methods for uncovering the structure of the ocean surface's currents.
My research focuses on developing statistical machine-learning methods for ocean surface current prediction. Humans have a nasty habit of putting things in the ocean that ought not to be there, including plastic, oil, nuclear waste and industrial chemical run-off. To understand and mitigate the impacts of this marine vandalism, we need to know where things go once they end up in the ocean. However, making these predictions is challenging because the ocean is complex, vast and difficult to observe. Therefore, mathematical ocean models are necessary to understand the ocean's circulation and how it impacts other parts of human life – and that’s where my research comes in!
Outreach at 50
Find out more about Vanessa's journey to mathematics at Imperial as we celebrate 50 years of schools outreach.
The Imperial community
At the start of my PhD, I found it challenging that most people I knew from my undergraduate course had graduated and moved on to industry or further study at other institutions. In the first few months of my PhD, I made a point of going to events held in the department, both academic and social, so that I would get to meet the people on my CDT and broader PhD cohort. As a returning student, it was easier to speak to other new PhD students and help them find their way around, because I was already familiar with the department and the university.
To meet new people, I also joined the Imperial College Choir which was one of the best decisions I’ve made since starting my PhD! I look forward to rehearsals every week as I love being able to do something different from my research and singing brings me a lot of joy.
If you’re thinking about getting involved in societies and other activities at Imperial, I'd say it's worth giving it a proper go!
One of the best ways to find your people and community is to go to where people who share your interests are.
Whatever your hobby or interest, there’s probably a related club or society which you can join.
Imperial's wellbeing support and Disability Advisory Service
I have dealt with several unexpected and difficult circumstances during my degree but have felt supported by Imperial to get through them. In particular, the Student Accommodation Office, the Student Support Fund and the departmental welfare officers were invaluable in dealing with practical issues that came up. I also struggled with my mental health during this time, so I engaged with the counselling service, which helped me deal with my most difficult issues while equipping me with the knowledge of what to do next.
As a neurodivergent person, I also have additional needs when it comes to navigating my studies. The Disability Advisory Service (DAS) has been fantastic at making sure that I can access the resources and support I need to do well during my PhD and in my research.
Finding postgraduate accommodation
I live in private accommodation that I found using Imperial Home Solutions, an accommodation search service provided by Imperial. I was looking out for potential flatshares I could join and reached out to some students who posted on the forum. I found Imperial Home Solutions was a valuable tool for looking for accommodation and you can also post to forums during your search, so if another student is looking for additional people to join a flatshare, they can get in touch.
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Student life in London
My favourite thing about studying in London is the opportunities available because of my location. Science communication is a big part of my life, and with so many science institutions in London, it's a fantastic place to be when it comes to sharing science. For example, I had the opportunity to give a talk at the Royal Institution Lecture Theatre on my work as a mathematical ocean scientist. If I had to travel to take up these opportunities for public engagement, I would only be able to accept very few of them. However, studying in London has enabled me to manage my research alongside my science communication.
After finishing my PhD
I want to continue doing research after I graduate. I love finding things out and ‘doing science’, and I love sharing that science just as much. This motivates me even when the research isn't going as I hoped or planned for. My ideal career path would be to be equal parts researcher and science communicator. Since there isn't one path to this career, I've been working with the Careers Service to plan for when I graduate.
Vanessa at a Fame Lab event, giving a talk titled "Data, Data Everywhere But Not An Insight In Sight". The talk was on statistical literacy and how some of the apparent 'patterns' we might find in random data can be misleading.
Vanessa at a Fame Lab event, giving a talk titled "Data, Data Everywhere But Not An Insight In Sight". The talk was on statistical literacy and how some of the apparent 'patterns' we might find in random data can be misleading.
Student life in London
My favourite thing about studying in London is the opportunities available because of my location. Science communication is a big part of my life, and with so many science institutions in London, it's a fantastic place to be when it comes to sharing science. For example, I had the opportunity to give a talk at the Royal Institution Lecture Theatre on my work as a mathematical ocean scientist. If I had to travel to take up these opportunities for public engagement, I would only be able to accept very few of them. However, studying in London has enabled me to manage my research alongside my science communication.
Vanessa at a Fame Lab event, giving a talk titled "Data, Data Everywhere But Not An Insight In Sight". The talk was on statistical literacy and how some of the apparent 'patterns' we might find in random data can be misleading.
Vanessa at a Fame Lab event, giving a talk titled "Data, Data Everywhere But Not An Insight In Sight". The talk was on statistical literacy and how some of the apparent 'patterns' we might find in random data can be misleading.
After finishing my PhD
I want to continue doing research after I graduate. I love finding things out and ‘doing science’, and I love sharing that science just as much. This motivates me even when the research isn't going as I hoped or planned for. My ideal career path would be to be equal parts researcher and science communicator. Since there isn't one path to this career, I've been working with the Careers Service to plan for when I graduate.
Vanessa doing a talk to Year 5 and Year 6 students during the Royal Institution's Climate Innovation Day, discussing how we can use maths to learn about the ocean.
Vanessa doing a talk to Year 5 and Year 6 students during the Royal Institution's Climate Innovation Day, discussing how we can use maths to learn about the ocean.
Careers support from day one
Our Careers Service can help sharpen your competitive edge in a world top 10 city for graduate employment (QS Student Cities 2025).
My advice to someone wanting to start a PhD at Imperial, or anywhere, is to start getting comfortable with admitting when you don't know.
Part of what makes doing a PhD so rewarding is finding out new things and contributing to a community of researchers working toward the same goal of moving the field forward.
However, the only way to find out new things is by first admitting that, right now, you don't know.
If I were to sum up my experience at Imperial in a sentence, it would be, “I found more in me than I knew was there.” Doing a PhD is tough, a PhD at Imperial is very tough and doing a PhD at Imperial as a person who is a minority for several reasons is very, very tough.
I’m proud to say that throughout my PhD, I’ve been meeting each new obstacle with resilience that I didn't know I had, and I'm happy to see how I've developed as a person in spite of challenging circumstances.
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