Violet

Analytical Chemistry MSc

The MSc course helped to improve my understanding of Analytical Chemistry and developed my professional knowledge. MSc study strengthened my belief that I wanted to carry on studying Analytical Chemistry and I have recently started a PhD project using advanced analytical technology at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ.

Violet MSc Analytical and Pharmaceutical Science graduate/current doctoral student

Can you tell us a bit about your background before coming to º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ (i.e. previous course or industrial experience) and why you decided to apply for the Analytical Chemistry course?

I was first attracted to Analytical Chemistry when I studied the subject as part of a Comprehensive Experiment course during the 3rd year of my bachelors degree at Shanghai University.  I was also fortunate to complete an internship at the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences with Dean Guo and Professor Da, who taught me about the technology and knowledge underpinning Analytical Chemistry.  º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ was an excellent choice to further this study.  Through the course, I learnt to evaluate analytical information critically and I had access to outstanding facilities and support from academic staff. 

Can you tell us a little about your MSc research project?

For my MSc research project, I chose to study a topic that was completely new to me. My topic involved computational chemistry and I studied the visualisation of aromaticity and antiaromaticity in macrocycles, supervised by Dr Felix Plasser. I learnt to use new software, such as Avogadro and Orca. This opened the gate to a new world for me, which could be useful in my further study.

 

How did completing the MSc course help you to make the next steps in your career?

The MSc course helped to improve my understanding of Analytical Chemistry and developed my professional knowledge. MSc study strengthened my belief that I wanted to carry on studying Analytical Chemistry and I have recently started a PhD project using advanced analytical technology at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ.

 

Can you tell us about your new PhD project and what your experience of PhD research has been like so far?

My PhD project is a development of rapid screening methods for herbs used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).  I am honoured that the project has been sponsored by the China Scholarship Council (CSC) and º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ.  All kinds of TCMs are used throughout the world. Therefore, it is essential that we make the analysis of TCM easier, faster and more accurate. My supervisors are kind and supportive. Dr Reynolds provides me with lots of useful knowledge about the advanced technology. It is enjoyable to do this research at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ.