Case studies : PhD student, geochemistry: John

John has been interested in geology from early on, which is why he did his degree in it. He decided to enhance his degree with an MSc in Geochemistry and is now pursuing the subject at PhD level.

John chose to study geology for his undergraduate degree as he was attracted to the subject from studying in high school. He finds it an extremely interesting science and comments that it is wonderful to know what has happened to the earth and what is going on under your feet, in the sky and also under the oceans. Studying geology has given him a solid knowledge of earth science: the elements of his course which he found particularly useful were the geochemistry module, the structural geology and the field work. He decided to enhance his degree with an MSc in Geochemistry and is now pursuing the subject at PhD level.

He feels the teamwork, communication, leadership, problem-solving and other transferable skills he developed during his degree are an excellent grounding for his PhD and stresses that the skills and experience gained during his geology field trips are crucial to his work.

He would advise students to study hard but to make time to enjoy themselves and make the most of the opportunities available whilst at university. He has worked as a teaching assistant and research assistant to broaden his experience. He was also a member of a steering board of the students’ union and a member of several other societies. He would particularly recommend that anyone wanting to develop a career in academia should undertake some work as a research assistant.