Harry

Choosing Newcastle

I went on a engineering taster course at the end of my AS Level year at Newcastle University. The method of teaching and all the staff were very friendly.

On the taster course, I studied Civil Engineering, but at the same time there were people studying other fields of engineering. Talking to the people doing Chemical Engineering, it definitely seemed like the degree for me.

The city was one of the big draws in making Newcastle my choice. I wanted to be up north for university because I had been at school down south in Dorset for eight years, so the north is a very pleasant change.

Studying at Newcastle

I think the general teaching quality of my course is very good.

I'm dyslexic, and some of my lecturers’ teaching methods coincide a lot better with the various ways that I learn.

The lecturers are very friendly and will answer any questions I have. I understand some of the course content straight away, but this may be because it's an area that I’m stronger in. Sometimes it’s due to the lecturer breaking down the theory into bitesize pieces that can be understood very easily.

Studying Chemical Engineering

I enjoy the Mathematics module on my course because I find it the most interesting and the one that I feel I have the best ability in. Since writing isn’t one of my strong points and maths involves a very low demand for writing, I think this draws me into the subject as well.

My favourite part of mathematics is applied algebraic mathematics, which is the type that is studied in Engineering Maths.

We've covered maths topics that I studied in school so far, but we've definitely expanded on those topics and have learnt some new techniques and approaches to tackling some more complex problems.

Recommending Newcastle

If I were to recommend my course to someone thinking about Chemical Engineering, there would be a few questions I would want them to ask themselves first. It should be something that you really want to study. The workload is very high, it must be a subject that you have to enjoy very much.

I would estimate that the amount of work is about 50-60 hours of private study and lectures a week.

I didn’t realise how high the chemistry content of the course would be before I started, so I think you need to be very competent at chemistry, I would say more so than maths.

Living in Newcastle

Newcastle is a fun city and there’s always plenty to do.

It's very close to the coast. The beach is only a short drive away, or 30 minutes on the Metro from the city centre, which is perfect for a Sunday beach day and maybe even have a swim. It’s a great day out going down to the seaside. I was born on a Caribbean island so I love the sea, even though the North Sea is a little bit different.

The nightlife in Newcastle is another highlight. With a group of good mates, the nights become a lot of fun and there’s a large variety of things to do.

Being social

I've joined the Cheese and Wine Society as well as the Investment Society. I haven't been able to make it to an Investment Society meeting yet due to my busy schedule, but I've been to the Cheese and Wine Society. It was good fun. We've had one event so far; about 70 people were there and it was a fun couple of hours. The selection of cheeses was quite a funky variety but they ran out very quickly!

Student accommodation

I currently live in Castle Leazes. It’s a very sociable place.

In Fresher's Week the atmosphere was fun, and the place was bustling. I wouldn't recommend it to someone who wants to live somewhere quiet but I like it and everyone is so close to each other.

Future plans

I'd like to work in the renewable energy industry for at least a few years after I graduate. Renewable energy really interests me, especially the area of research and development.

Renewable energy is more vital now than ever before, so the faster a reliable and efficient source of energy is found the better. Energy storage is a large part of the solution to renewable energy so I would be interested in working in the battery industry or larger scale energy storage with hydroelectric power between two reservoirs.