Graduate intake 2014!

It’s October (we’re all wondering where the summer went??), but this means new Graduates destined for a fun two years and great things beyond. Here is a blog piece with cheesy picture to welcome them to Culham and find out a bit more about them.

I asked them to answer some sensible as well as silly questions, and got a variety of answers especially for the favourite pudding one. I think it says a lot about a person. Here are their answers in order of appearance in the photo in front of JET...

Victor Agudo Polytechnical University of Madrid (UPM), Aeronautical Engineering specializing in jet engines.

Department : Remote Handling (ITER) 

Favourite Pudding: Cheesecake without doubt. 

If you could be an animal what would you be: I would probably go for a quokka, looks like they are pretty happy.

Hopes for the graduate scheme: Apart from a valuable professional experience, I would like to get a bunch of good friends, great times and maybe, if I cross the right gamma ray, some sort of super powers or at least a cool glowing halo.

Alex Davies, University of Surrey (Guildford), Physics. I have spent the last year working in an Indian engineering consultancy called HCL. . Before I came here I always wanted to be a teacher, and at some point in my life I think I will do that, just not yet.
Initial Department : Tritium Group, Water Detritiation System (WDS) 
Important information: Can be bribed with chocolate   

Simon Kirk University of Cambridge, MEng Mechanical Engineering, PhD Experimental Physics 
Initial Department : Central Engineering 
Favourite Pudding: Chocolate and Pear Trifle 
If you could be an animal what would you be: Sea Lion 
Hopes for the graduate scheme: Learn about all the different parts of CCFE and what they do. 
Other interests: Rowing

Samual Ha, Imperial College London, Mechanical Engineering with Nuclear. 
Department : Remote Handling 
Favourite Pudding: Brownies 
If you could be an animal what would you be: White Crane 
Hopes for the graduate scheme: I’m hoping to get experience and a good time out of the graduate programme.
Other Interests:  My interests are few and far between, generally including exploring the great outdoors and/or exercising.

Bruce Edwards, University of Bath, Masters in Aerospace Engineering. Industrial placement at Siemens Magnet Technology (MRI Magnets), Cryostat dept. 
Initial Department : Remote Handling (DEMO & JET) 
Favourite Pudding: It depends whether you mean pudding in the traditional British sense or a general dessert. As bake-off enthusiasts will know this is a non-trivial distinction. If it is the former I may be inclined to opt for steak and kidney although Yorkshire would be a close second. If the latter was the intended meaning then perhaps a decadent chocolate mousse. 
If you could be an animal what would you be A blobfish (to improve my appearance)… or a golden eagle.

 
Hopes for the graduate scheme: I hope the opportunity to get involved in a variety of projects and accumulate a good cross-section of technical skills and competencies. Variety is the spice of life. 
Other Interests: Other interests include cycling (which I enjoy boring people with), climbing, running, slacklining, ale and whisky. Also I have a homemade 3D printer (RepRap). 

Jake Stephens University of Bath, Electrical Power Engineering 

Initial Department : JET Power Supplies, Ohmic Heating 
Favourite Pudding: Easier to list those puddings which are not a favourite: “…” 

If you could be an animal what would you be: Something Canine, doesn’t really matter what, they all seem to be mostly excited about everything. Seems good to me except fireworks and thunder would apparently lose all appeal. 
Hopes for the graduate scheme: 
Twelve Drummers Drumming
Eleven Pipers Piping...
Actually to finish it with the same smile as this guy

knowing there are some awesome people and possibilities ahead.

James Andrews The University of Manchester, BEng Mechatronic Engineering 
Initial Department : Remote Handling 
Favourite Pudding: Banoffee or carrot cake 
If you could be an animal what would you be: Dolphin 
Hopes for the graduate scheme: Learn lots about engineering and science and contribute towards providing sustainable energy for our future as a race.

Here is a sensible photo of them in front of JET (in case you genuinely want to see what they look like!)