A Levels: Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths, French (2011-2018)
I think I will be forever fond of my time at Friesland school. The environment created by the school and sixth form was great and allowed me to explore my passions and curiosities. Throughout my time at the school, I thoroughly enjoyed the support, encouragement and ability that was shared with my by a whole variety of teaching staff across the various departments and school really felt like a home from home. I often wonder how some of my teachers are getting on since they had such a large impact on my desire to achieve.
On reaching my A-levels, I was adamant that I wanted to explore a more diverse curriculum and so chose to take on Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and French – an uncommon choice but one which was supported with caution by Mr Puddy, the head of Sixth Form. I enjoyed the variety of having a language alongside the other STEM subjects and the wonderful teaching made the experience all the better, even if it did mean I had lessons scheduled after school! During my time at sixth form, I also balanced a part-time job, the position of managing director of a Young Enterprise Company named ‘Quantum’, a senior position of leadership at my local RAF Air Cadet squadron alongside other hobbies and passions. I look back fondly upon those times.
I aspired to go to Cambridge to study pure Mathematics and completed the required STEP papers as well as a Michaelmas interview at my chosen College, St John’s. In the end, a change of events lead me down a different route, but the application process was a useful one.
My time at Friesland Sixth Form earned me a place at the University of Warwick to study Mathematics and Physics, a decision which has opened up many opportunities for the future. The university has been a perfect fit – a wonderful compact campus with great facilities, a diverse set of students who know how to work hard but also enjoy their free time, a fantastic department (Physics) and a great place to live and socialise (Leamington Spa). After changing from a BScMathPhys to a MMathPhys at the beginning of my second year, I graduated in July 2022 with a Masters degree in Mathematics and Physics. A proud achievement.
I enjoyed my time at Warwick so much that I accepted an offer for a PhD in the High Energy Particle Physics Research Group (HEPPRG) to work on a project called the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) based in Chicago, which allows me to work with a fantastic team of academics, including my PhD supervisor (who was also my assigned personal tutor in my first year) and researchers from institutions around the world on cutting edge discoveries, including travel to fantastic projects such as CERN, Switzerland and Fermilab, Chicago. I am thrilled to be taking the next step on a pathway in to academia and I am hopeful for the future.
But it brings me back to what Friesland School and Sixth Form can offer you. It provides a nurturing environment to allow you to work out what path you want to take in life. Decisions might feel like such huge stumbling blocks whilst you’re young but feel safe in the knowledge that most things work themselves out given you keep working at what you know and are good at. I’ve never had a set plan of what I want to be or achieve, only a mindset to seek to do what I enjoy and that is what I will continue to do.
