Southampton University ChemSoc hosts Series of Talks for Students by Dr Dave Alker
I attended (and helped organise) both the talks aimed at Undergraduate students. I really enjoyed the contents of both the talks and really appreciated how they were quite distinct separate events, yet were both highly informative. The Careers Talk gave us not just a glimpse of the choices available, but actually made a lot of the attendees think about how Chemistry is so important in so many different ways in people’s lives. The Workplace Awareness talk was more about what is expected of an Undergraduate/ recent graduate at a workplace, be it your first job or an internship or a placement in a research lab or industry. However, whatever the name suggests, Dave did not just preach us on ‘how to behave’, it was quite an interactive and humorous session, with him taking in input from us as well. I would be glad to participate in more of such events, given how it engages students and at times, keeps some disenchanted students from disengaging from their course and helps them change their views about how Chemistry affects lives. -Ishani Bhattacharya, Undergraduate student (2nd Year, 2011/12)
I attended the Workplace Awareness Talk for Undergraduates and it was a very good decision to do so, as I think it was quite informative and helpful when it comes to preparing for my Fourth Year placement.
-Hamid Khan, Undergraduate student (2nd Year, 2011/12)
The event was certainly aimed at PhD students rather than Masters or Undergraduate students. There was quite a lot of background information about the current economic climate (CEC) and what that means for employment opportunities. David also went through what someone with a PhD has to offer and, therefore, how a PhD should make someone employable, despite the CEC. There was a list of potential careers (very broad) and he mentioned facts like only 10 % of PhDs stay in academia. The talk was more about giving us an overview than specific careers ideas: he got us to think about the opportunities a PhD gives, rather than suggesting that it means doing chemistry forever. In my experience of a PhD (and I think some of my group members would agree), it can seem like by doing a PhD you have committed yourself to a lifetime of either academia or industry directly related to the PhD, when, in fact, a PhD should be opening rather than closing doors. This is what the talk was about.
-Mary Cholerton, PhD student