Why I chose Materials Science at Birmingham

Are you considering pursuing a career in materials science?

I was in your position once, and today I would like to share my reasons for studying materials science at the University of Birmingham.

I have always been intrigued by the machines and devices we see and use in our everyday lives. From phones and gadgets, to cars, buildings and bridges, I’ve always wondered what work goes into the creation of these complex devices and structures that without which, our lives would be very different. This drew me to the field of engineering as a whole. Then, one day, during an A Level Physics class, our teacher taught us about superconductors. I was intrigued by the significant change in electrical properties that could be obtained by cooling the material to a critical temperature. This inspired me to learn more about how we can alter material properties to increase the critical temperature for superconductivity. This also inspired me to learn about how to choose the best material for a particular application, and how to improve material properties to optimize performance. I began pondering, what materials do we use in buildings and why? What materials do we use in cars any why? What materials do we use in phones and why? Were there other materials that could be used instead? This curiosity led to the decision to study materials science.

Why the city of Birmingham?

I grew up in London, but I knew that I wanted to live away for university to begin experiencing what it's like to live independently. However, I wanted to still live close enough that I could go back home to visit friends and family without needing to take extremely long or expensive journeys. As Birmingham is around 3 hours away from London, it seemed like a good option.

The city itself is also well connected with many buses and trains. The university even has its own train station. This makes it easy to move around. Lastly the city centre is a vibrant place with many shops, restaurants and activities to do with friends.

Why the University of Birmingham?

At the time, I researched different universities and courses, and the University of Birmingham appealed to me the most. I also attended the open days where I visited the campus and spoke with students and academic staff, which helped with my decision.

In my experience so far, there has been a lot of support available to students in their studies. Lecturers are happy to answer any questions you have about the course content. There is support for CVs, cover letters, and applying to jobs, from both the university’s Careers Network and from the team within the School of Metallurgy and Materials. You can also get support with personal struggles, from your personal tutors or the wellbeing team.