Abi Weaver

My Graduate Story

My name is Abi and I studied Biochemistry with a Year in Industry at the University of Birmingham, and now I am a Medical Affairs Senior Scientist at Haleon.

Haleon is a global consumer healthcare company. We own brands like Sensodyne and Aquafresh and Panadol.

Generally, my role within the company is to kind of support our product launches from a scientific perspective. So, it's the interplay between the commercial teams and the science that's been done on our products, and kind of communicating that in a way that the consumers are going to understand.

My Birmingham Experience

My time studying at Birmingham was very influential in me being able to secure my role, the placement year specifically, very helpful, but also the flexibility that they gave me when I got back from placement.

I was able to do a research project at the Dental School at the University of Birmingham, and I was able to look at the science more specifically and worked in the labs there, which allowed me just to continue my interest that I had built up during my placement year and not lose those skills that I had previously built up and still make it relevant for my employer.

I think an industrial placement is the most influential thing that I did during my time at university, and although the process of getting a placement is pretty tough – you know, there's lots of applications to put out, loads of different companies, even just to look at – I think the only thing that I could say is just try, if you don't get one, then it's not the end of the world, there are other things and other opportunities that you can also make the most of.

But if you want to experience something in industry and you think it's probably where you want to go rather than staying in academia, then it can just open up so many doors and you can network with so many people and you don't know where those people will end up in the future.

Advice for Students

I would definitely recommend studying at the University of Birmingham.

I think that it's a lovely green space. I was able to meet and be friends with a bunch of amazing people. It was just a great place for me to kick-start my career, really.

The opportunities and the flexibility that I got given at uni really allowed me to excel in what I wanted to.