University of Aberdeen
Case Study 1

Name: Xiao Li
Course: PhD in English Linguistics
Year of Study: The First Year

How are you enjoying life in Aberdeen?

Living and studying in Aberdeen is very enjoyable and exciting. Aberdeen is very nice city with convenient transportation, friendly people, comfortable climate and rich cultural heritage, where you can enjoy the beautiful beach, gardens, parks, splendid granite architecture and many busy shopping centres. The University of Aberdeen, located in the area of beautiful and historic Old Aberdeen, is a very old university with brilliant history of development. With advanced facilities, plenty of teaching and learning resources and excellent staff, the university can facilitate teaching, learning and research very well. So I am very lucky to have this valuable opportunity to study here.

Why did you choose the University of Aberdeen?

I got to know the University of Aberdeen quite well when I was in Nottingham as a visiting scholar in 2004. I have been attracted greatly by the well-know university, the unique granite city and the beautiful Scotland. I applied for the scholarship for my PhD study and I was very lucky to be accepted, which made me come to the University without any hesitation.

What do you enjoy most about your course?

PhD study at the University of Aberdeen can be very challenging, which is hard but enjoyable. With the excellent supervision from my supervisor, I connect my research with China in a specific area, which will hopefully contribute to the development of the subject in China. Although I am here only one year, I have learned and benefited a lot from my research.

What has been the best part of university so far for you?

I like the university very much and I can talk a lot about that. The library is one of the most important places for me during my research, and I think it is very good, very wonderful. It is very convenient for me to find and use any facilities, journals, books and any other resources in the library.

Describe the international student experience at the University of Aberdeen.

As international students in a new different environment and cultural society, we may face some problems and difficulties, especially at the very beginning of the study. It is very reassuring and exciting that the university can provide us with all kinds of assistance and support, which can cover even any difficulties we may face. In addition, we should try our best to be the host of the new environment. Being in touch with all the students, especially native students can be very enjoyable and beneficial, especially for language improvements.

What are your plans for after graduation?

After graduation, I’ll go back to China to my University, Shandong Jianzhu University, to continue to work there. I had been working there for ten years before I came to Aberdeen for my PhD study. I do hope my PhD study in Aberdeen can make me more qualified for my position and I can contribute more to the development of my university.

Any other comments about life/study in Aberdeen?

No

Case Study 2

Gerardo Arteaga studied electronics and telecommunications engineering in Mexico. He is now studying an MSc in Hydrocarbon Enterprise in the Department of Geology and Petroleum Geology at the University of Aberdeen.

From a young age I had a passion for sciences and mathematics and my family always supported my interests; my father and two of my brothers are engineers.

In high school I enjoyed physics and electric circuits, which leaned me towards an electric engineering degree. After my first degree I went directly into the oil and gas industry, working for Schlumberger as a logging engineer. After five years, I was aware that time was passing quickly and that I may never take up a Masters. It was at this point that I decided to go back to university.

I chose the UK because I had visited a few times and had liked the experience, particularly my time in Scotland. Also, my then girlfriend, now my wife, was about to do her MSc in the UK.

I had the chance to visit the University of Aberdeen some months before joining it and received a lot of help. The University organised a guided visit by a student and a meeting with the course director. This helped me understand and feel more confident about the admissions process.

The MSc in Hydrocarbon Enterprise at the University of Aberdeen immediately caught my eye. Although I went through the relevant training to become a proficient logging engineer, I felt that there were some areas of the industry where I lacked the necessary knowledge and expertise. If I wanted to remain in the business and be successful I would have to fill the gaps in my experience with a relevant MSc.

This MSc incorporates most aspects of technology and business in the industry from a management perspective, which allows a significant addition of breadth to any future job position. Plus, in my experience with Schlumberger, Aberdeen was always regarded as a place where oil and gas companies developed and used the most advanced tools and techniques – technically and commercially. The University are always looking at new programmes to prepare graduates for a professional career in the energy industries. This year they have developed new MSc programmes in Energy Futures with options in Oil & Gas, Nuclear and Renewable Energies.

During my time as a logging engineer I learned about drilling engineering, geosciences, environmental protection and health and safety.

My Masters is enabling me to learn things from scratch to a good level in all areas, including geosciences, reservoir and well engineering, law, petroleum economics (economic models and taxation) and other issues of hydrocarbon commercialisation.

A typical day for me starts with lectures at 9am. We would carry on from 9 to 12 or 1 pm, with at least one break in between. We normally have an hour for lunch where we can eat indoors or sit outside in the beautiful grounds when it is sunny. More often than you might think!

As the MSc is arranged in modules, it is usual that one week in particular is devoted to one topic (geophysics, well engineering, etc). Sometimes, even two weeks. This is good to build up a steep learning curve and have plenty of interaction with the lecturers.

Our lectures consist of a good mix of industry experts from outside the university (consultants, lecturers from other universities, industry experts) and the excellent University of Aberdeen academics. It is great to have them around to have our doubts and assignments clarified.

I am now combining a work placement and an MSc project with a company starting operations in Aberdeen. This involves the development and commercialisation of a specific well engineering technology. I work about 20 hours per week as part of the work placement, the rest I devote it to the MSc dissertation and my wife!

My wife and I settled in well in Aberdeen. Once we’d lived here for three months we felt more familiar with British culture. My wife and I love watching films and going out for dinner. We’ve also visited North East of Scotland, Edinburgh, and London. I have also joined the International Students’ Society and, for professional purposes, the Energy Institute, the Society of Petroleum Engineers, and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists.

When I complete my MSc I hope to bring my expertise back into the Latin American Industry. I am now being offered positions with a more commercial focus and that is because of the skills I am gaining from my Masters.