PhD Student Profile: Ben Reant
Student experience 30th September 2019
Hi, my name is Ben I am 24 and I am originally from Stoke-on-Trent but have lived in Manchester for the past 6 years. I originally studied MChem (Hons) Chemistry and now I am studying for a Postgraduate degree in Inorganic Chemistry. I am currently in my third year working in the Mills Group.
Can you please provide an overview of your research?
My research involves the study of f-elements with various elements in the periodic table in order to understand orbital overlap and covalency.
In my most layman’s terms I attempt grow pretty crystals of things that have no right to exist and I love doing it!
Why did you want to stay at Manchester?
In the Department of Chemistry we are very fortunate to have the Centre for Radiochemistry Research (CRR) and it’s one of the few places which I can study lanthanides and actinides (like uranium and thorium) in great detail and the resources and expertise we have allow me to enhance my skills to the next level.
What do you enjoy most about researching here?
There is a lot of support with creativity of ideas and people wanting to work together to create new research avenues, it’s very collaborative which I enjoy. The atmosphere is supportive and within our lab (as well as within the department) there is a real sense of community!
What did you enjoy most about MChem (Hons) Chemistry?
I really enjoyed the flexibility with the different types of chemistry offered. Overall, this gave me a well-rounded knowledge base of chemistry and insight into what I would find fascinating post-university. The academics and staff are super nice and friendly and always willing to listen to feedback to improve the overall course for future students.
And the wider University?
The University has some fantastic facilities, which aid in the academic side of the University experience, alongside all kinds of sociable societies. This means there is something for everyone to do and it’s a very inclusive and accepting community.
What are your thoughts on Manchester as a city?
I often describe Manchester as the “best of both worlds” in terms of a campus and city University. Everything you need can be found along Oxford Road which runs all the way from St. Peters Square (5 min walk away from the city centre near Piccadilly Gardens), past the University, the Curry Mile and then into Fallowfield (often dubbed “Student Central”). This means it’s very easy to escape the big city and get into the campus feel of a University or vice versa. There is loads to do all around Manchester and no two days are the same!
Has your time studying at The University of Manchester caused you to rethink or alter your career plans?
There are a lot of discussion about future career plans, and there have been other considerations about what I can do in the future mostly arising from attending conferences and becoming aware of what is outside of Manchester. My current career plan is to consider Postdoctoral work outside of Manchester; it is important to eventually leave (although it will be hard to) and gain new experiences and insights into different practices and research areas. The best way to do this is from other institutions either around the world or within the UK.
What would you say to people considering coming to The University of Manchester to study?
My best advice would be look at the course details about what each module contains and see if it peaks your interest. If you’re considering research, all Chemistry courses involve some form of research in the final years and every department in the country is specialist in certain things. You may want to consider looking at what research we do and see if that interests you over other departments (or vice versa). Besides that, make sure you visit Manchester at some point, it’s a great city and University and I am sure if you’re undecided seeing it in person will help make your decision.
And outside university… what do you get up to in your spare time?
In all honesty, mostly sleep! I love sleep! But when I am not hibernating, often found watching TV (guess that’s a form of hibernating), at the gym, or socialising with people from work at our weekly pub sessions. Weekends are good times to go a bit further out towards the Peak District for example.
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