Vanya

After doing an undergraduate course in Electronics and Communications Engineering at PES University Bengaluru, I co-founded and was running my startup, Frizzle Weather, which provides hyperlocal weather forecasts. I realised that the challenges using machine learning and artificial intelligence are not trivial and wanted to equip myself with more knowledge and skills.  

Studying at a top university was always a childhood dream and Imperial particularly interested me since it is one of the best universities for STEMB courses. So when I was searching for universities with a programme that had equal emphasis on domain knowledge and mastering technical tools, Imperial’s MSc in Environmental Data Science and Machine Learning was the perfect fit for me. 

Studying at Imperial 

Receiving a Chevening Scholarship and joining Imperial was a dream come true for me. My course is strengthening my environment domain knowledge and is helping me learn the technologies needed to make a positive impact in the climate space. 

The most rewarding element of the course so far has been my peers. It is a privilege to be studying alongside so many talented individuals from such diverse backgrounds. I have learnt a lot from all of them and have made friends for life. It has also been an amazing experience to learn about the subjects I’m passionate about from top professors. 

The Imperial Community 

Although I was initially worried about making new friends, Imperial’s numerous welcome and networking events made the process so much easier. Additionally, specific events for postgraduates both at a university and department level enabled me to get to know people studying very different things from me. There were also loads of activities like karaoke and pub quizzes which are fun ways to socialise and make friends. The clubs and societies fair was great for finding people with similar hobbies and interests – I joined Imperial’s hip-hop dance society - Funkology, and the Women in Science, Engineering and Technology Society. 

Thanks to my global friends, I have tried different cuisines, visited different places, understood new cultural subtexts and can manage a few more phrases of different languages!  

London Living

London is such a diverse city with a large international student population that you are guaranteed to find your community. A lot of international students hold meet-ups in their respective countries before moving, which helps make the move much easier as you already have friends.

I love the wide variety of parks and green spaces there are in London, and how walkable the city is. I used to live in the UK as a kid and the Science Museum and Hyde Park were always my favourite places (they still are!). I enjoy going out for lunch, running or cycling in Hyde Park when the weather’s good since it’s just a few minutes walk from campus. Every London park has its own charm and my personal goal is to walk, run or cycle in all of them before the academic year ends! 

Another thing I love in London is the theatre. Although it can be expensive, there are several sales throughout the year and students get a further discount on tickets. I would highly recommend watching Frozen if you’re a Disney fan in theatres - the “Let it Go” performance is not one to be ‘let go’! 

Careers Support

One of the reasons I chose Imperial was because it’s known as one of the best universities globally for innovation, excellence and employability. The fact that it’s situated in the heart of London with proximity to the top companies also makes Imperial a compelling choice for higher studies as a pathway to a successful future career. 

From the coursework to the teaching materials, modules are taught in a way where you can apply your skills in industry from day one. 

Imperial’s numerous careers fairs helped me understand the skills companies were looking for in my field. This was useful as it gave me a contextual view on the subjects I was studying and enabled me to understand how each module would be applied in the industry. 

I also found Imperial’s Careers Service and the personalised sessions they offer really helpful. I was able to get career advice tailored to my background and career goals, along with some helpful tips on how to structure my resume and hiring timelines. This service also extends to students looking to continue their careers outside of the UK.