Jonathan R

What do you like about your course and why?

One of my favourite parts of my course is the mathematics department itself. Every lecturer and PhD student that I have met has been really involved, willing to offer support when I'm struggling, and push me further when I need, especially my personal tutor. I also appreciate how applicable the course is to my academic and professional development. Through this course, I have become proficient in programming in Python and R, and have learnt how to use LaTeX to write reports and build CVs.

What do you enjoy most about Surrey?

My two favourite aspects of Surrey are the sports societies and the feel of the campus. Having been a part of both the rowing and ultimate frisbee teams, there really is something for everyone. Rowing was the most extreme training I have ever done, but it resulted in some of my closest friendships. Ultimate frisbee is the most fun competitive sport I've played, and has also led me to meet a ton of people.

"The campus culture is great, with a load of fab restaurants, cafes, and a few bars for a good night out. The library, the Dots and the Hive are also great for when I need to get work done - individually or with friends!"

What do you want to do when you graduate?

Once I graduate, I will probably do a MSc in mathematics or epidemiology, and I am currently deciding whether or not I want to do a PhD in either of these topics. I have received a lot of support from my personal tutor and a number of other lecturers and PhD students to help me with these decisions. Information about PhDs, suggestions of summer programmes, and new material to look into have been made readily available, and are really useful. I then plan to teach mathematics - at GCSE and A-Level or at university level if I get a PhD.

What would be your advice to new students?

Make sure you have solid foundations! Maths builds on itself so the better you know the more 'basic' maths, the easier it will be for you to learn the more complex stuff! Also, be curious! There is so much more to mathematics than you might realise and, generally speaking, the more you know about certain concepts, the more interesting they become!