I joined Hymers College in the Sixth Form in 2014 and thoroughly enjoyed my time there. The sense of community and support from my teachers was exceptional, and I also had the chance to further my music hobbies via playing in the school string group and orchestra. It was here that my interest in the physical sciences was sparked and led to my decision to study Engineering post Sixth Form.

Upon completion of my A levels in 2016, I studied for my MEng in Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London. The course was academically demanding, nevertheless learning how to apply Maths, Chemistry and Physics to produce products used in our everyday lives was fascinating. There was a great collaborative spirit within my year group; we did lots of group design projects as part of the degree, and the Chemical Engineering society was very active in organising social events. Living in London was also quite an experience for someone (myself) who had grown up in a relatively quiet town. I have particularly fond memories of the thrill of rushing around on the Underground to get around the city (but of course not during exam season!).

Throughout my undergraduate course, I became interested in research and in particular, Polymer Science. Hence, I applied for PhD programmes and in September 2020, I started my PhD at the University of Nottingham investigating the synthesis and characterisation of polymer lubricants for electric vehicles. Naturally, I was faced with a new set of challenges, namely learning to manage my own research project (requires a lot of self-motivation and time management!) and dealing with research setbacks (experiments often don’t work the first time!). Nonetheless, I had a hugely rewarding experience and am very grateful to the moral support from my supervisors, colleagues and family. I’ve learnt techniques I’ve never even heard of prior to starting, such as Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and have had the opportunity to present my PhD work at national and international conferences.

I submitted my PhD thesis in September 2024 and have recently started an exciting new Research Associate role at the University of Nottingham looking at waste valorisation, namely the conversion of flower wastes into useful products. I’m very much looking forward to broadening my research experience, making new collaborations and further applying all the skills I have gained during my time at Hymers, Imperial College and throughout my PhD. I’m pleased to also say that I have continued to enjoy music since leaving Hymers College and during my free time I enjoy playing the piano in the University music rooms. It’s a great way to relax and give my mind a break from research!

Xiao Yuan Wang, OH 2014-16