Armani Newman BSc Biological Sciences
Why did you decide to do a year in industry?
I decided to take part in an industrial placement year because I was confident that I wanted to pursue a career in research. I sought out R&D placements in particular to experience research in a non-academic context to narrow down whether I wished to stay in academia or branch out into industry.
What were your key responsibilities? How did these develop as your placement progressed?
I was given increasingly more independence over the course of the year. I was expected only to learn lab techniques and observe how meetings and presentations were conducted in the beginning of my placement, so that I could carry these out independently eventually. Overall, I was responsible for one large project and supported two others. This included independently developing assays or bioinformatics pipelines and presenting my results to my supervisor for improvement before presenting to stakeholders. In the last couple months, I was able to meaningfully contribute ideas in meetings.
What were the most enjoyable and most challenging aspects of your placement?
I greatly enjoyed the support I received in being able to branch out of my department and shadow other scientists to get a fuller picture of the drug development pipeline across the company. Since I was placed in early discovery, it was nice to see where our research ended up. I found everyone very friendly and keen to help technically or with advice for the future.
University and a working environment are not the same. It takes practise to develop professionality and stamina to conduct mentally-taxing work for 8 hours a day. It does get easier and it was very rewarding to be considered a valued member of the team by the end of my placement.
What aspects of your degree were relevant to your placement?
The most relevant part of my degree for placement was lab skills, which I highlighted in my applications. I also included any modules that I particularly excelled in or enjoyed. In my case, this was immunology modules, which led to me being given an immunology-focused project.
What advice would you offer to other students considering doing a year in industry?
A year in industry will be the most rewarding part of your degree programme. Whether you enjoy the programme or not, exposure to people in the field will open new avenues you had not considered. Importantly, this is also your debut into the field and a chance to establish your reputation; be sure to make a good impression. When applying I recommend not getting too caught up with whether it aligns perfectly to your current goals as you will learn so much outside of your interests regardless.
What are your ambitions for the future? Do you have specific career plans? Has the University (careers centre/lecturers etc.) helped you with these goals in any way?
Unconventionally, I would like to pursue a PhD in molecular ecology, though my placement in industry is still highly influential in this decision. I greatly enjoyed developing bioinformatics pipelines and working on cellular/immunological questions – I am simply shifting these concepts away from the study of humans. I am excited to continue using the philosophies and appreciation of science I developed during my placement.