Could you tell us a few things about your third-year project?
I got the opportunity to do my final year project at the Cockcroft Institute for Accelerator Science and Technology. There, I worked among research-active scientists in a research group that focuses on beam diagnostics. My project was based around the determination of beam profile, by synchrotron radiation, using Digital Micro-mirror Devices (DMDs). I found this to be a thoroughly enjoyable project as I was given a lot of lab time, using research grade optical equipment and I was able to gain first-hand experience of how research bodies operate.
What are the main academic skills you acquired?
My academic skills were greatly improved though my dissertation work. I improved in searching appropriate journals in the scientific literature and reading research articles relevant to DMDs. Also, my programming skills were improved as I had to learn Python. Finally, I gained a wealth of knowledge about accelerator science and optics.
What are your plans after graduation?
I plan to continue my studies at the University of Chester to a Masters by Research (MRes) degree, where I will continue the work I undertook during my dissertation. I hope to progress on to do a PhD in accelerator science after this.