Here's the second half of the 2020 graduate intake introductions. There are a lot of us now, aren't there?
Name: Alex Marsh
University & Course: University of Birmingham, MEng
Nuclear Engineering.
Department you are working in: Technology
Where are you based? Materials Technology Group (MTG)
Why UKAEA? Wanting to help make fusion a commercially viable energy source is
the key one! I also had a good experience of the work environment as a
contractor
What are you most looking forward to on the Graduate Scheme? The end
of lockdown, so I can spend more time in the lab and see people in person! But
in the short term, I’ll still be part of interesting, novel research, and
develop some extremely niche skills.
What do you like to do in your spare time? Playing/DMing D&D; cycling
around Abingdon and Oxford; reading theology, crime fiction, and fantasy.
What’s your favourite place you’ve visited? Tuscany,
Italy.
What’s your favourite book? Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell – a weird
& wonderful book about feuding magical scholars in Regency-era Britain.
Who inspires you? My Sixth Form Physics teacher inspired me to
study engineering. On a different level, St Augustine of Hippo, St Edith Stein,
and St Dominic.
Give a fun fact about yourself: I once entered a UKAEA Zoom
meeting with the Vatican flag as my virtual background.
University & Course: MEng Mechanical Engineering @ Ulster University, Jordanstown (outside Belfast).
Department you are working in: RACE
Where are you based? Oxford.
Why UKAEA? Looked to be very employee oriented with the chance to work on amazing new projects and technologies.
What are you most looking forward to on the Graduate Scheme? Getting to know more about the people I work with and hopefully make a few friends along the way.
What do you like to do in your spare time? TV/films/gaming and any nerdy stuff, but also into hiking, running and exercise.
What’s your favourite place you’ve visited? Augsburg in Germany.
What’s your favourite book? Philadelphia, Here I Come! by Brian Friel (actually a play but I still enjoy reading it).
Who inspires you? My parents, for putting up with me but still encouraging me to succeed.
Give a fun fact about yourself: I once got to the quarter finals of a university Mario Kart tournament. I still haven't forgiven that red shell.
University & Course: Royal Holloway Physics with Particle Physics
Department you are working in: Neutral Beams
Where are you based? Reading
Why UKAEA? After an industrial placement here during university I knew this was the job I wanted to do
What are you most looking forward to on the Graduate Scheme? Knowing that in some small way I am helping make our fusion future a reality
What do you like to do in your spare time? Photography and repairing consumer electronics
What’s your favourite place you’ve visited? Tucson, Arizona
What’s your favourite book? The Racketeer by John Grisham
Who inspires you? Everyone who helped me pursue physics
Give a fun fact about yourself: I have raced around the old Top Gear track at Dunsfold
University & Course: Mechanical Engineering at the University of Sheffield
Department you are working in: Central Engineering
Where are you based? Oxford
Why UKAEA? It’s simply a great place to be an engineer
What are you most looking forward to on the Graduate Scheme? Retirement
What do you like to do in your spare time? Usually one of the following: reclining on a sofa, rock climbing, gaming, reading
What’s your favourite place you’ve visited? I’m not good at picking favourites but my most recent holiday was to Portugal which was really nice
What’s your favourite book? Last chance to see by Douglas Adams
Who inspires you? Luke Lewin
Give a fun fact about yourself: A locomotive was once dropped on my foot, luckily I was wearing steal cap boots
University & Course: University of Bristol
Department you are working in: University of Bristol – Mechanical Engineering
Where are you based? Oxford
Why UKAEA? The work they are doing is closely related to my own personal interests, and from my time here as an intern, I really enjoyed it. Looking forward to everything that’s to come!
What are you most looking forward to on the Graduate Scheme? Learning as much as I can. While I do have specific roles that I am already looking forward to, I am open to seeing any other opportunities that are likely to pop up.
What do you like to do in your spare time? Pretty much a lot of climbing or parkour!
What’s your favourite place you’ve visited? Norway. The fjords are amazing!
What’s your favourite book? I don’t really read haha
Who inspires you? A cliched answer, but my father. Working up from pretty much nothing to being well off enough to support a family of 5.
Give a fun fact about yourself: In addition to my own two hands, I have 3 other robot hands in my room
University & Course: University of Surrey, MPhys Physics
Department you are working in: Tokamak Science, Electron Kinetics Group
Where are you based? Oxford
Why UKAEA? Came on a school trip to Culham when I was 16 and just thought plasma looked really pretty (and everyone I spoke to was super enthusiastic), decided to do a physics degree because of it, and now here I am... (with an excellent cliche answer ready for all interviews!). I just get really excited whenever I get to learn more about fusion, can't wait for it to actually be less than 30 years away!
What are you most looking forward to on the Graduate Scheme? I really want to have a photo taken stood on/by JET... that's the main aim! Also I can't wait to learn enough that I can actually keep up when everyone just talks in never ending acronyms!
What do you like to do in your spare time? Anything and everything I can. Grew some great lockdown tomatoes (and other assorted vegetables) and have an ever-growing collection of houseplants. I love crafting, baking, hiking, swimming, reading, board games and being the weakest member of my gospel choir (I have zero coordination for stepping and clicking/clapping which is basically the main skill needed to be in a choir...). I'm super keen to try new sports/activities, but will undoubtedly be awful at them... can't wait to find out!
What’s your favourite place you’ve visited? I volunteer at the IOW steam railway and it will always be my favourite place, because it is beautiful, and also because we have cider festivals several times a year... (and the trains are obviously pretty cool)
What’s your favourite book? Usually just whichever book I read most recently, very hard to find an irredeemably bad book! 'Remember Me' by Lesley Pearse has a solid female lead though, I like that. And 'Children of Time' by Adrian Tchaikovsky is the most insane book I have ever read. Got the whole way through without being able to decide if it was the best or worst thing I have ever read!
Who inspires you? Final year grad James O'Callaghan, for always doing what I want to be doing, two years ahead of me. (and because he told me not to put him down under any circumstances this time last year)
Give a fun fact about yourself: Started my first year of uni on crutches because I fell off a kerb whilst completely sober and broke my foot. I'm still trying to live down the reputation that I am a clumsy person...
University & Course: University of Warwick MEng Electronic Engineering
Department you are working in: MAST-U
Where are you based? Oxford
Why UKAEA? I always wanted to work in renewables, and fusion is definitely the coolest type of renewable energy.
What are you most looking forward to on the Graduate Scheme? Being able to see my work go towards the development of MAST-U
What do you like to do in your spare time? Powerlifting, playing Ultimate Frisbee, playing bass guitar.
What’s your favourite place you’ve visited? Hawaii
What’s your favourite book? The Simpsons and their Mathematical Secrets
University & Course: Warwick, MChem (shoutout to David Fox)
Department you are working in: H3AT - Tritium science group
Where are you based? The picturesque and somewhat dead village of Goring on Thames
Why UKAEA? Clean energy is the future! The entire world is spiralling
What are you most looking forward to on the Graduate Scheme? The people - being part of a diverse network of smart, hard workers who can inspire me.
What do you like to do in your spare time? Long walks, theatre, and games with pals
What’s your favourite place you’ve visited? Peru
What’s your favourite book? Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Who inspires you? The person reading this 😉
Give a fun fact about yourself: I've rowed the length of the Thames, stopping midway to collect my GCSEs
University & Course: University of Southampton, Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Department you are working in: Heating & Fuelling
Where are you based? Oxford
Why UKAEA? The opportunity to work on something relatively unique that my have a critical role in the future of energy production.
What are you most looking forward to on the Graduate Scheme? Spending some time learning how to actually engineer alongside people with similar experience to me (and having a few laughs along the way).
What do you like to do in your spare time? Games, films, and a bit of baking. Mostly just nerdy stuff.
What’s your favourite place you’ve visited? I went to CERN a few years ago which was pretty hype
What’s your favourite book? Bodega – Edward Forsyth.
Who inspires you? Bob Ross – Wish I could be that super-chill all the time
Give a fun fact about yourself: I accidentally memorised the entirety of Shrek and once did a small recital for charity
University & Course: MSc Electronic and electrical Engineer at The University of Portsmouth.
Department you are working in: RACE.
Where are you based? Abingdon.
Why UKAEA? Why not?
What are you most looking forward to on the Graduate Scheme? Develop my technical skills, build a strong network, try and work with different departments.
What do you like to do in your spare time? Play video games with my friends, play tennis.
What’s your favourite place you’ve visited? Tunisia, Djerba.
What’s your favourite book? Harry potter
Who inspires you? Everyone that does what they love.
Give a fun fact about yourself: I have never had a bad hair day.
University and Course: Chemical Engineering with Energy at the University of Sheffield
Department: Hydrogen-3 Advanced Technology (H3AT)
Why UKAEA?: To contribute to fusion power being a reality!
What are you most looking forward to on the graduate scheme?: To contribute to something meaningful, learn more about fusion and different science and engineering fields.
What do you like to do in your spare time? Playing Ice Hockey, tennis, running, cooking and reading.
What is your favourite place you have visited? If I have to choose one place, Vienna.
Who inspires you?: My family
Give a fun fact about yourself? I learnt to ice skate before I learnt to read
University & Course: University of Surrey, Physics MPhys
Department you are working in: Tokamak Science
Where are you based?: Oxford
Why UKAEA?: I've been interested in nuclear fusion since I was a kid when I heard about how beneficial it would be to the planet, and loved my time at UKAEA on a previous placement
What are you most looking forward to on the Graduate Scheme?: Learning more about the diagnostics I'm working on
What do you like to do in your spare time?: Reading, videogames and baking
What’s your favourite place you’ve visited?: Berlin or NASA
What’s your favourite book?: "Room" by Emma Donoghue
Who inspires you?: I got very lucky by having great physics teachers growing up, and they each inspired me to get into physics
Give a fun fact about yourself: I bled out of my eyes once, and also I've apparently been eating scones wrong my entire life
University & Course: University of Southampton, MEng Mechanical Engineering with Aerospace
Department you are working in: Central Engineering
Why UKAEA? I get to contribute in changing/saving the Earth through nuclear fusion, plus it's kinda cool working in the nuclear industry.
What are you most looking forward to on the Graduate Scheme? Absorbing and learning as much as I can! Also meeting people with the same passion to change/save the world.
What do you like to do in your spare time? I like to binge on Netflix and have recently found my new love in kickboxing. I do like crafts but am not an Art person.
What’s your favourite place you’ve visited? Night market in Taiwan. The street food in Taiwan is just so good.
Who inspires you? My parents. They are my no.1 inspiration.
Give a fun fact about yourself: I've been to the Amazon rainforest and had a near death experience where an anaconda approached my boat when I was fishing for piranhas. Survived and successfully caught 5 piranhas.
University & Course: University of Bristol, Mechanical Engineering (MEng)
Department you are working in: Central Engineering
Where are you based? Currently, Swindon
Why UKAEA? Even before I decided to become an engineer, I always wanted to use my life to make a difference, to leave the world a better place than it would be otherwise. Some say that Fusion is a pipe dream. I’d rather work towards making a beautiful dream a reality, than waste the one life I’ve got fattening a bank account. On top of that the culture at UKAEA is truly inspiring. Why wouldn’t I want to work here?
What are you most looking forward to on the Graduate Scheme? I’m looking forward to using the grad scheme time to learn as much as possible and to figure out what kind of engineer I want to be. The grad scheme sets aside time for personal development, and that is a truly valuable opportunity.
What do you like to do in your spare time? Binge TV shows, play guitar, play computer games, play board games, bake bread, cook in general, read, draw, learn martial arts (I’ve dallied in quite a few such as BJJ, Muay Thai, Boxing, Krav Maga, Wrestling-based MMA, Kung Fu, Tai Chi, Arnis), my biggest hobby is collecting skills so I’m always interested in learning something new.
What’s your favourite place you’ve visited? That’s a difficult one. I really loved going to the Redwoods in California. It was a truly awe inspiring and humbling experience. But, the lakes in the region around Algonquin National Park in Ontario are amazing too. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve been to enough places to have picked a favourite yet.
What’s your favourite book? Oof. That’s like asking a parent which kid is their favourite. You love each one for different reasons.
Who inspires you? My maternal grandmother.
Give a fun fact about yourself: In 2011, following the completion of a year in which I spent many weekends learning wilderness skills, I undertook an experience (arranged by the instructors) that I suppose would be equivalent to an exam. I spent 5 days surviving in an area of woodland on the side of a mountain in the French Pyrenees at approx. 1000m elevation at the end of October taking nothing with me but the clothes on my back, a knife I had hand forged, and some cordage I had made from natural materials.
University & Course: University of Birmingham, MEng Computer Systems Engineering
Department you are working in: RACE Cybernetics
Why UKAEA? I wanted to do something positive, and fusion is a great mix of technologies that I’m interested in. UKAEA seemed like a nice place to realise that
What are you most looking forward to on the Graduate Scheme? The opportunity to meet new people with similar interests. Being allocated time to learn is great, too
What do you like to do in your spare time? Too much - I’ve been playing guitar for most of my life (looking for a band!), music production, I enjoy cycling, I’m a novice woodworker - helping set up a makerspace in Oxford, I go to the gym, etc.
What’s your favourite place you’ve visited? The classic gap yah travel location of Thailand – the northern parts were pretty and it was cheap!
What’s your favourite book? Any and all of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld
Who inspires you? People who have unrelenting motivation
Give a fun fact about yourself: I can make pretty convincing dolphin/predator noises and wiggle my hair on its own
University & Course: Tilburg University (the Netherlands) Global Law
Department you are working in: Procurement
Where are you based? Swindon
Why UKAEA? Because I was attracted to the idea of contributing to a clean and sustainable energy for future generations and the plant
What are you most looking forward to on the Graduate Scheme? Meeting new people and learning about procurement
What do you like to do in your spare time? Going out and about, especially walking in the countryside; and eating out!
What’s your favourite place you’ve visited? Barcelona
What’s your favourite book? Matilda
Who inspires you? Malala Yousafzai for here advocacy for access to education for girls
Give a fun fact about yourself: I have two ancient gold fish… 16 years old and going strong
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