MSc Materials Chemistry, PhD 2014 and 2019 Your Time at the University After graduating from Jilin University (China, 2013), I did my MSc in Materials Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh (2013-2014). The MSc programme opened a window for me toward the Chemistry. So that I understand more fully what research is about and what a researcher does. Besides hard work and pressure, chemistry also brought me excitement and a sense of achievement. That is the mainly reason why I came back to the University of Edinburgh School of Chemistry for my PhD. The most valuable part of my degree was the research project and dissertation. I did my project under the supervision of Prof. Mike Shaver. Besides his kindly help and warm talk about both research and my future career, I gained a lot from the research itself. It was a bit tricky at the beginning, but it became really interesting and exiting when I actually make some nice polymers. I was very proud of myself when I made my first polymer. All of these experiences have given me motivation to do my PhD and guide me to becoming a researcher in the future. I presented my PhD work in the Joseph Black Conference in June. I was really happy to share my research experience with so many people. It is also a good chance to practice giving presentation in such a large theatre and in front of a large audience. At the same time, it is also very interesting to learn more about the research other people are working on. Your Experiences Since Leaving the University After graduating I worked in State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Chemistry and Materials in Jilin University as a visitor for one year (2014-2015) before coming back to Edinburgh and joining the Bradley group as a PhD student (2015-present). Alumni Wisdom If you spend more time on your research, you will probably get a lot more than you thought. This article was published on 2023-10-16
