The Fantastic Four from the Science Extended Degree
Pictured above are l-r Nathan Talbot, Ben Armitage, Laura Denman and Lenka Stejskal
Thu, 23 Jul 2015 14:53:00 BST
First Class Honours for scientists Nathan, Lenka, Laura and Ben
COUNTLESS hours of pain-staking study and revision have paid off for four high-achieving students who all started their University journey on the Science Extended Degree course.
The four students Ben Armitage, Laura Denman, Lenka Stejskal and Nathan Talbot, have gained top marks in their respective subject areas and are all going on to further study or employment after graduating this summer.
Ben, Laura and Lenka are also recipients of the Chancellor’s Prize which is awarded annually to the top echelon of students throughout the University.
Ben [top], Laura [second] and Lenka [third] are pictured receiving their Chancellor's Prize from Professor Tim Thornton.
The extended degree, which they all began on, is offered to those who want to come to University but do not have the full educational qualifications to enrol on a degree or come from a non-traditional background. The first year of the extended degree is designed to provide students with a thorough grounding in the four main disciplines in science, biology, chemistry, maths and physics. After the foundation year the students can then choose to take a BSc (Hons) Science Degree of their choosing.
Dr Rob Allan is course leader of the extended degree and is responsible for its recruitment and management.
“The students’ success rate from the Science Extended Degree is excellent,” said Dr Allan, “but this is by no mean feat. The students who begin on this route have to work extremely hard as learning science at this level can often be quite different to anything they have experienced before,” he said.
Each student has their own story of success to tell, in that they all began on very different career paths.
Ben Armitage, aged 31, has graduated with First Class Honours in Chemical Sciences. He has earned funding to study for his PhD at the University of St Andrew’s in Scotland and is looking forward to the next chapter in his life after starting out working for the Highways Agency.
“I would never have imagined that I would be going on to study for a PhD,” said Ben. “The Science Extended degree is designed to test your strengths and weaknesses, but if you have the passion and determination to succeed, then all the hard work does pay off,” he said.
Laura Denman, aged 24, has achieved a First Class Honours in Chemical Sciences, after initially starting her University life studying costumes and textiles. She is continuing her research her at the University, with supervisor Dr Duncan Gill, after winning funding from the multi-national pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.
Czech-born Lenka Stejskal, aged 32, relocated to the UK to work as an au pair. But she had a dream of becoming a scientist and that dream has led her to graduate with First Class Honours in Biochemistry. Now, she has earned funding from the Wellcome Trust that enables her to embark on a four-year programme of study and research based at University College London culminating in a doctorate.
Newly-graduated with First Class Honours in Food and Nutrition is Nathan Talbot, aged 24 (pictured left). He is going to work full-time for the global food and pharmaceutical company Australian Laboratory Services (ALS) in Ossett, Wakefield. Nathan hopes that in the future funding will become available for him to come back to the University of Huddersfield as a PhD researcher.
“These students have worked so hard,” said Dr Allan. “Their success is a culmination of learning, endeavour and personal development. I know these four students will go on to make the University proud and will continue to serve as role models for other students who want a successful career in science.”
