Richard Van Arkel, PhD

The challenge of studying at the highest level has always appealed to me, so at the end of my undergraduate MEng degree I decided that I wanted to study for a PhD.

As I had really enjoyed a year in industry during my undergraduate degree, I also realised it was important to me to research an applied topic so that my work had purpose. Hence I applied to Imperial College London to study for a PhD in the Medical Engineering Division of the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Three-and-a-half years later, I have just passed my PhD viva and I couldn’t be happier with my decision to study at Imperial. I researched how different surgical procedures affect the mechanics of human hip joint movements and how these operations could be modified to improve the treatment of hip disease. I found this a highly stimulating, albeit unusual, application of engineering.

The highlight of my PhD was being awarded a $1000 prize at a conference in Japan where I presented my research findings to an audience of internationally renowned academics, orthopaedic surgeons and industrial researchers. There is a strong drive within the department to publish results at the highest level, so travelling to international conferences is not an uncommon perk (I struggle to think of a fellow PhD student in my department who hasn’t had the opportunity).

My research involved a good mix between lab work and computer modelling and this variation helped keep me motivated. If I could offer one piece of advice to prospective students it would be to apply to a topic that genuinely interests you.

A PhD is demanding and can involve long hours in the lab, or sat at a computer, and so a fundamental interest and a drive to want to research the topic is essential. If you find a good fit, I am confident in saying that the PhD will prove to be both a worthwhile investment for your career and highly enjoyable.

This is further helped by the open and friendly atmosphere within the department: I developed an excellent working relationship with my supervisor and found my fellow students to be both technically brilliant and great friends.

When I applied for my PhD, I always assumed I would follow a career in industry when I finished and indeed I found that there was plenty of scope to do this; however, I enjoyed the research environment so much that I chose to sign a two-year contract to work at Imperial as a post-doctoral researcher instead.

"My research involved a good mix between lab work and computer modelling"