Tycho – Materials Science

What is your favourite thing about Teddy Hall?

I love how interconnected the years are at the College, particularly beyond your course mates. St Edmund Hall is unique in the fact that it is very easy to make friends with people in older years through the in-college societies. Oxford can take some adjusting to but having people in the older years who have been through it already is really helpful when it comes to navigating life at university.

What do you like about the College’s site and location in Oxford?

Teddy Hall sits right in the sweet spot where it is far enough away from the centre of the city that you’re not overwhelmed by tourists, but you are close enough that you can easily get to where you need to be. This makes the College feel homely whilst being close enough to the action so you can enjoy Oxford to its fullest.

Why did you choose to study your course?

I chose materials science following a process of elimination as I wanted to study a subject that had practical applications and involved both physics and chemistry. I believed physics lacked the practical application, engineering didn’t have enough chemistry involved and a chemistry degree didn’t have enough physics for my liking. Materials Science combines everything I wanted out of a degree and provides a unique opportunity to develop my scientific understanding.

What do you enjoy most about studying your subject?

I enjoy how willing everyone is to help each other on the course. As Materials Science is so interdisciplinary, it attracts people who are amazing chemists, excellent physicists and those who have a knack for engineering problems. No one person is able to understand every concept immediately, but there is a culture of helping people when they don’t understand something as it will come back round to help you in the end. This means that overall, everyone performs better and can gain a more well-rounded scientific understanding.

How have your tutors supported you during your time at Oxford?

One of the best things the tutors have taught me at Oxford is that although a question may have may have a correct answer, there are many possible ways to reach them, and not all methods are created equally. In school, there was a sense that you have to follow the set method to answer a question. At university, however, I’ve come to appreciate that the underlying principles of physics are constant, and consequentially answers can be reached through simplifications and assumptions. The tutors have shown me that the most rigorous method may not be the one that is most useful and this has really helped me develop my problem solving skills.

What’s the best thing about living in Hall accommodation?

I love how close together everyone is in College. There are about 100 undergraduates in every year and we all live in three buildings on site making it really easy to get to know everyone and is part of the reason Teddy is such a close-nit college.

What do you enjoy most about the food at Teddy Hall?

Not having to worry about cooking after a long day at labs is one of the best parts about Teddy Hall. There are three hot meals a day on weekdays that are fairly priced and are helpful in allowing you to structure your day around.

What do you like most about the library?

I love how the Library and the surrounding grass act as a social hub for the College. A lot of people tend to work in the College Library as it is close to home and provides an effective area to do work. Because everyone is in the Library, if ever you want to take a break and chat in on the grass, there is usually someone up to join you. These small social interactions are really useful when it comes to keeping a clear head while studying and are amazing for your welfare.

How has Teddy Hall supported or shaped your extra-curricular interests?

Teddy Hall does a great job at supporting sport within the College. I’ve always played football and the College has a strong team and it’s always fun having a bit of a kick-about. The College also helps support people picking up new sports – a perfect example of this is ice hockey, which I started playing at university and the College helped buy jerseys for the team. There is also a culture amongst the students of going to watch your friends play their sports and shout out for the College. Teddy Hall was recently in the Field Hockey cuppers final, and a bunch of us came to support the team as they played (and won!) It’s great being able support your friends and seeing all the hard work they’ve put in come to fruition.

How has financial support from the College helped you?

Every year the materials department goes on an industrial tour to another country to visit factories and laboratories. This year we went to South Korea to go visit Samsung’s semiconductor labs, one of Hyundai’s steel plants as well as a lot of nanotechnology and quantum computing labs. The College helped fund this trip for me and enabled me to be able to go.