Emma Hill, BSc Geology and Geography 

'[The course] gave me a good grounding in geological processes which form the basis of understanding engineering problems in my current job.'
Emma Hill

What are you currently doing? Can you give a brief description of what you did from graduation up to now?  

I am currently employed as an Engineering Geologist at Halcrow Group Ltd, a multi-national civil engineering consultancy.

Following graduation from Birmingham, I completed an MSc in Engineering Geology at Leeds University in 2002 and was then employed at Halcrow Group Ltd, where i have been for the last 9 years.

Can you give a short outline of the course you studied at the University of Birmingham and how it benefited you?  

I studied Geology and Geography (BSc) at Birmingham. This gave me a good grounding in geological processes which form the basis of understanding engineering problems in my current job.

How about campus life?  

Having grown up in a small rural village, going to a campus university was a less daunting experience than having to live in a city centre location would have been. I enjoyed staying at Chamberlain Hall where there are lots of other students to interact with, rather than being in a shared house or flat. The University of Birmingham was my first choice of university because it has so much undergraduate accommodation all located within the Vale which is a lovely setting and within walking distance from the main campus.

How did you find living in Birmingham?

Living in any city was new to me, but I enjoyed the experience of having so many shops, bars and restaurants so close by. The city changed a lot during my time at university, with the development of Brindley Place and the new Bullring. It felt like an exciting emerging city and because I enjoyed my time here at uni, I chose to move back and work here after completing my masters degree.

Any tips or words of wisdom that you would like to pass on to other students thinking of coming to study here?

Make the most of your time as a student, it’s the one time in your life when you develop personally as well as intellectually, building your interests and friends. I’d also advise students to think as early as possible about the career paths available with a geology degree, so you can make contacts, organise work experience and choose something you’ll enjoy.

What are your aspirations for the future?  

To continue to develop my experience and technical abilities within the field of Engineering Geology and to be promoted to Senior and eventually Principal Engineer. I hope to have the opportunity to undertake more overseas projects and to work on large-scale infrastructure projects within the UK (such as High Speed 2).