Graduate Profiles

Alex Kendal - BA Mathematics and Drama & Theatre Studies

MA in Performance & Theatre Studies at King’s College London

I joined Aberystwyth University in September 2015, having moved from rural Norfolk. I was completely unaware what a profound and life-changing impact my time at Aberystwyth would have on my life. I graduated from Aber in July 2018 with a 1st class degree in Mathematics and Drama & Theatre Studies. Since leaving university, I have spent a year living in China working as an English Teacher and am about to embark on a Master’s degree in Performance & Theatre Studies at King’s College London. The skills of logical reasoning, problem solving and independent working that the maths half of my degree and the wider department imbued in me during my time at Aberystwyth have proved instrumental in enabling me to pursue these.

Panna Karlinger - BSc Mathematics and Education

PhD in Education, Aberystwyth University

I recently finished my joint honours BSc in mathematics/education and I’m staying in Aberystwyth to start a PhD in Education. I use quantitative methods in my research, for which I got an outstanding foundation during my time at the mathematics department, both in terms of knowledge and transferable skills. I also do some part-time teaching for the Further Mathematics Support Programme. I often visit the maths building and I always feel welcome to join staff for a chat or coffee despite not being a student there any more. Considering all, I am truly happy that I was and continue to be a part of this amazing community the department has created.

Aled Wyn Thomas - BSc Mathematics

PricewaterhouseCoopers

I graduated from Aberystwyth University in July 2013 having obtained a First Class Honours degree in Mathematics. One of the main reasons I chose to study Mathematics was the fact that having such a versatile degree enables you to pursue a number of different careers, such as engineering, teaching or working in finance. One key benefit of the Mathematics degree at Aberystwyth was the fact that one of the first year modules involved creating a CV and covering letter for a prospective job application. At the time, we had not even finished our first year and so had not thought about such issues, but this proved to be invaluable because once we reached our third year, the necessary foundations had been put in place for us to successfully apply for jobs. I am certain that this is one of the reasons why I was offered a place by the professional services firm, PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) on their assurance graduate scheme. Mathematics is a challenging, but highly rewarding degree where initially impossible problems can be solved through logical thinking. This has served me well in the workplace where Mathematics graduates can differentiate themselves from others through their ability to be logical in their thought processes, enabling problems to be solved in an efficient manner. I cannot thank the Department enough for all their support throughout the three years – I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it!

Vicky Margaret Hawkins

Teacher training programme, King Edward's Consortium

Moving to Aberystwyth to study mathematics was the best decision I ever made when considering my university choices. I chose to study a mix of pure and applied topics, as this suited my strengths and interests, allowing me to explore areas of mathematics I had never had the opportunity to before my degree. Since gaining my first class degree, I have been offered a placement with King Edward's Consortium – a prestigious teacher training programme based in Birmingham. I will be training via a School Direct placement, with the aim of becoming a maths teacher in secondary education. My time in Aberystwyth has truly prepared me for my future, and I will definitely be back to visit!

Les Mear - MMath Mathematical and Theoretical Physics

QA Consultant

Aber made quite an impact on me with its quiet location and friendly atmosphere, and I was fortunate enough to be offered a place studying Mathematical and Theoretical Physics. The course was fantastic, primarily due to the interaction with lecturers being open and friendly, and also due to the variety of module options available. I completed two extremely interesting projects, one of which developed out of my interest in composite materials and the possible uses in Formula 1 racing. After graduating, I began working within the university finance department as part of the AberForward scheme. This is an excellent way to get into a working environment, and to obtain business-related training. I will then start work with QA Consulting, which provides consultancy services to help develop software for commercial, financial and governmental organisations. After completing software training in Manchester, I plan to work throughout the UK on various projects.

Fred Ross - Mathematics BSc with a year in industry through the YES scheme.

I chose Aberystwyth as it offers a range of social and academic qualities whilst being situated on the lovely Welsh coast. During my time at Aberystwyth, I often asked lecturers questions to which they would respond helpfully. This skill and way of working has transferred very well into my career as a statistical programmer within the Pharmaceutical industry; I often learn the best lessons from senior peers. I work on clinical trials, building on my experience during my year in industry in 2015-2016. I've continued with this since the end of my course in 2017 and I am currently a Senior Statistical Programmer. The skills and experiences I gained from studying mathematics are continually helpful in my role, which often requires a thorough understanding of derivations of complex mathematical and statistical formulae. My advice to current students to improve their job prospects is to apply for as many internships as you can, whether a summer placement or a full year in industry. You will reap the benefits in the graduate job market. (You can apply for graduate jobs prior to actually graduating in your final year.) It can lead to a job with the company you intern with after the end of your course, and it always looks good on your CV when looking for jobs and gives you more of an idea of what career to go into if you are still undecided.