Why did you choose to study at Newcastle University?
For me, it was the breadth of study offered. Newcastle is able to offer modules across the whole range of Civil Engineering specialisms; Structures, Geotechnics, Transport, Water Resources, Environmental Engineering and Surveying. It offered me so much opportunity and enabled me to gain a holistic understanding of the various inputs required in infrastructure design.
What did you love most about your time at Newcastle University?
I would say my dissertation was one of my two biggest highlights, offering me the opportunity to undertake further study in my chosen specialism of transport and bring together everything I had learnt in earlier years. The other was being part of the Fellwalking Society, including spending two of my four years on committee; going on mountain adventures all over the UK and most importantly, meeting some of my best friends!
What did you enjoy most about Newcastle as a city and your time at Newcastle University?
Newcastle is a friendly, fun and vibrant city with so much on offer. It's so compact, with everything in the city centre being only a 20-minute walk at maximum. For someone who spends so much time in the outdoors too, it’s in a great location for getting out into the fantastic countryside the north of England has to offer - Northumberland, The Lake District and Yorkshire dales are all less than a 2-hour drive away.
How do you feel your degree has helped you to get to where you are today?
Having the ability to undertake modules in Highways and Transport was a big benefit of studying Civil Engineering at Newcastle (not every university offer this) and it inspired me to choose to focus my career on this. But there was also so much more than the technical side; group working, critical thinking and the focus on solving global challenges whilst achieving tangible benefits to people's lives at a local scale were all key aspects threaded throughout the course.
What do you enjoy most about your current role?
Knowing the difference that my work will make to people's lives and that in a few months and years' time, I will be able to see the schemes and projects that I have worked upon in operation. I also like how much I am learning and continuing to grow and develop.
What piece of advice would you give to students interested in pursuing a similar career?
Go for it! If you're thinking of a career in engineering, then absolutely do it. There's so much opportunity and with some of the big challenges we face in the current times, it gives you a real chance to help make a difference to people's lives and ultimately shape a better world.
