Eleanor Furness

The grant towards my tuition fees for my MPhil course was very much appreciated and really made a difference to me. As a mature, parent student I was very busy whilst undertaking my MPhil course and the help towards my fees meant that there was one less thing to worry about and more time for me to focus on my studies. Financial support from the Foundation enabled me to be more productive in my course and I did very well. I passed both modules with high grades (100% for ethics module and 68% for bioinformatics module) and have completed many hours in the laboratory too. Some of my research from this past year is going towards a scientific manuscript, which is a great indication of just how successful the course was for me. I now have the final few weeks to complete laboratory work before writing up the MPhil thesis.

I have gained so much from studying the MPhil. I have had the chance to learn more in depth about my field of microbiology as well as gaining practical experience of research. I have demonstrated in laboratory practical sessions where I helped undergraduates learn. I went to a scientific conference and made new connections. The skills, experience and confidence I have gained from the MPhil course have prepared me very well for the next step in my career. I have secured a PhD place, also in Aberystwyth University, starting this September. The MPhil course was the perfect course to do after finishing my BSc. I plan to complete my doctorate before becoming an academic myself in the future.

Many thanks to the James Pantyfedwen Foundation for their support.