Dan Hulkes

Choosing Surrey

Surrey was ranked well in the league tables for mathematics and my first impression was that it had a very pretty and welcoming campus. The Freshers’ Angels were really helpful welcoming everyone and it made me feel like I belonged.

The Students’ Union do an amazing job and the mental health services are very good here.

Studying mathematics

I enjoy working out logical problems and applying my problem-solving skills. I also like the fact that you can apply maths to pretty much anything in life.

I enjoy the wide variety of modules offered and how you can tailor the course to your interests. All the lecturers are really responsive and are happy to meet with you to discuss anything about the course.

My favourite academics are Professor Tom Bridges and Dr Janet Godolphin. Tom is always up for a chat and is really approachable, and Janet is really good at giving clear explanations and her material is challenging but not overwhelming.

We have an undergraduate common room which we can use as an independent study space whenever needed. Computer labs are used for some modules, which aid teaching and complement the lecture material.

My Professional Training placement

I received careers advice from the Director of Employability for Mathematics while looking for my placement year role, along with support from personal tutors regarding research roles available.

I spent my Professional Training year (PTY) as an Industrial Placement student for Air Products and Chemicals, Inc working in the Strategic Marketing and Market Intelligence team.

The role involved creating reports and gaining insights from European customer data, analysing website traffic and user flows and reporting results in monthly marketing meetings to over 80 participants from across Europe.

It’s great to take a year out of study and experience the workplace in full. You gain skills that you wouldn’t necessarily get through studying. You’re also normally able to work across different areas of a business to understand how being part of a large company works. Also, most people get paid, which is great!

My Surrey experience

I have been a member of the Rifle Club since joining Surrey five years ago and now hold a position on the committee which I love – it’s a great way to experience life off campus.

My best moment at Surrey was taking part in a fullbore rifle training weekend in 2022, where we spent a weekend on the range shooting targets at 300, 600 and 1,000 yards.

Being so close to London is great for a day out on the weekend. Guildford shops are great too, there is such a wide range of shops to choose from. Surrey Sports Park is great, with plenty of facilities alongside a gym, like the swimming pool and climbing wall.

Looking ahead

I have met loads of great friends for life in my time at Surrey, and the academic experiences and PTY have given me valuable skills to use in my professional life. In terms of the future, I want to go into graduate training to become an actuary.

Find out more about our Mathematics BSc and MMath courses.