Felix
MEng Materials Science and Engineering
Being in the Royal School of Mines has a certain prestige to it which really gives you something to be proud of.
Felix left his hometown Brighton to come and study Materials Science and Engineering at Imperial. Since joining, he's explored a wide range of opportunities which have helped him develop the skills, knowledge and experience needed to excel in his undergraduate studies and beyond. Felix shares his experience of choosing a course that's right for him, finding a sense of belonging at Imperial and embracing an array of opportunities for both personal and professional development.
I'm Felix and I study MEng Materials Science and Engineering at Imperial. I chose to study at Imperial because it is the best place to be for aspiring engineers. When I did my research through the website what stood out to me was the atmosphere of producing impactful work so I knew studying at Imperial would be purposeful.
Imperial provides more than just a degree; it offers students opportunities to improve in many other aspects of life, from personal finance to public speaking and group work. Building my skills beyond academia is what I’ve enjoyed most.
Studying Materials Science and Engineering has allowed me to build on my interests in physics, chemistry and maths. The course at Imperial offers hands-on experience that many other pure science courses do not. I have found a true passion for what I study as the course content has been highly engaging and challenging.
Finding friends as a fresher
Initially, I was worried about coming to London. The city was quite different to my hometown, Brighton. What helped me settle in was joining societies that I was familiar with, such as rugby. This gave me the chance to meet friends outside of my course.
I also got to connect with students in other year groups who normalised the worries at university and were a great support to me. Alongside this, having started up my own company in my first year, I had the opportunity to pitch at The Royal Society which is something I would have never imagined doing before.
One of the highlights so far has to be The City Varsity against LSE where Imperial won on the last kick of the game (not to mention the celebratory after-party!).
Connecting with the course
There’s a real sense of community on my course which I’ve enjoyed a great deal. I’ve found myself around people who aim high and are super productive. This has encouraged me to challenge myself to grow and learn to a high standard.
What I have particularly enjoyed on the course is the exposure to coding. In the first and second years, we have modules on this where we get up to the level of being able to write machine learning algorithms and coding Arduino kits in our Design Study module.
I have also had the opportunity to do an Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP) in my first year which gave me first-hand experience working in a lab, analysing data and structuring research. This added to the content we had already learned and showed me how useful what we were learning was.
Getting involved beyond my studies
There have been a number of different opportunities that have supported my personal and professional development. For starters, the Climate Entrepreneur Club gave me an understanding of how to create my own start-up.
I've taken on various positions within the department such as Junior Treasurer for MatSoc, which has given me an understanding of how to manage finances.
I am also the Academic Representative for my cohort which has allowed me to develop professional skills and strengthen the student community. Being part of the Imperial Eco-Marathon Battery team has given me hands on experience with engineering. I also had the opportunity to sit in on a third-year Mechanical Engineering course which broadened my understanding of an industry that piqued my interest.
My proactive approach to getting involved has allowed me to I've develop my skills and knowledge, connect with others and contribute to the campus community.
Laying foundations for the future
As I’m in my second year now, I am still exploring my options. What I do know is that I am very passionate about sustainability and have a keen interest in modelling with code. I plan to eventually do a PhD in battery modelling or associated topics. I have explored the prospect of becoming a Chartered Engineer as the department is IOM3 certified, so this is another option if I don't go down the PhD route. I’ve attended various careers evenings and talks at Imperial where I’ve discovered so many interesting opportunities that it is honestly hard to pick one!
I’m hoping that my undergraduate studies will help me figure out exactly what area of focus interests me most.
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