Dr Jordi Paps Montserrat is a Lecturer in the Faculty of Life Sciences, specialising in the genomic basis of major evolutionary transitions.

 

Tell us about your journey into academia… 

I did my degree in molecular biology in Barcelona and, while I still find subjects like molecular genetics or biochemistry fascinating, the science that totally captivated me was evolutionary biology. After finishing my degree, I did a PhD using molecular genetics to reconstruct the evolutionary relationships of the major lineages of the Animal Kingdom. This was followed by a postdoctoral position investigating the closest relatives of animals. 

After that I moved to Oxford to keep studying the evolution of animals, but this time using comparative genomics. After five years as a postdoctoral researcher in Oxford, I got a lectureship at the University of Essex, and I moved to Bristol in early 2019. Here I teach genetics, developmental biology, and evolution to undergraduates, and I am the academic lead of the MSc in Bioinformatics.  

 

What tips do you have for prospective postgraduate students? 

Postgraduate programmes offer a unique chance to complement what you learnt during your undergraduate degree, acquiring new skills that you can apply in scientific research projects. For example, the MSc in Bioinformatics allows students from biosciences backgrounds (biology, biochemistry, pharmacy, medicine…) to tackle research questions usually out of the scope of their degree programmes. Investigate which programme options are available and ask yourself what do you need to learn to pursue your academic or professional interests? And be honest with yourself! 

 

What’s your experience of events at Bristol? 

I’m relatively new to Bristol, but I’ve participated in several open days and events for prospective undergraduate and postgraduate students. I’ve also organised and been part of outreach events in Bristol. I enjoy talking to people and sharing my views about science and learning. 

 

Do you have any advice for how prospective students can make the most of the events? 

I’d like to encourage you to be proactive. Navigate the information you’re being given and set a clear plan for which sessions and meetings you need to attend in advance. Importantly, prepare questions before coming to the event, and ask them!  

 

What kind of things can students ask you? 

I’m happy to answer all types of questions related to the postgraduate programme, science, or my research. Most often I get questions about types of research projects we offer (many and very different projects!), previous knowledge about bioinformatics required (none!), and sometimes I get questions about my own research. 

 

Why is it important to attend the events? 

Most likely, your choice of postgraduate programme is going to impact your future, both short and long term. It’s important to make an informed decision, get a feeling for the programmes and the people involved, and to clear doubts or misconceptions. Attending these events gives you a great opportunity to get this information and make a wise choice! 

 

Register today

 

Dr Rabeya Khatoon is a Lecturer in Economics within the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law.

Tell us about your journey into academia… 

I have always had a desire to work in academia from the start of my undergraduate studies at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Maybe this is because I got influenced by the very best lecturers there and to the subject matter of Economics from the very beginning. With my hard work and love for the subject, I topped the class and eventually joined the University of Dhaka as a Lecturer after completing my master’s in Economics.

To know more about the subject and with a desire to specialize in Econometrics, I applied for and got selected at the University of Manchester for MSc in Economics and Econometrics, funded by the prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship. Based on my performance there, I was able to gain full funding for my doctoral studies straightaway and completed my studies with success. For me, it was the love for the subject that helped me the most, this is the reason why I did not fall behind even after having three of my children during PhD studies. 

Upon completion, I returned to the University of Dhaka, though not for long. After one year, I was able to join University College London, and then the University of Bristol as an academic. My place as an academic is neither by chance, nor by luck; I believe it is my love for Economics and my passion to teach that brought me where I am at present.  

 

What tips do you have for prospective postgraduate students? 

Postgraduate study is a must if you want to join academia. If you have a different career goal, it’s still worth exploring, as the return to this one more year of education is measured to be significantly positive. MSc Economics and Finance at Bristol is a specialist programme that can equip you with cutting-edge economics knowledge with a focus on finance. 

There is no alternative to gather as much relevant information as possible before you choose your University and your programme. It is important to know the strengths of the institution and the prospects of the programme to see if it matches with your aspirations.  

 

What’s your experience of events at Bristol? 

I’ve been at several events since working at Bristol. It’s such a pleasure to interact with many prospective students showing an interest in MSc Economics and Finance! During the lockdown, I was involved in a virtual event with a live chat. I was very happy to see students asking questions about the programme as well as overall life in Bristol. 

 

Do you have any advice for how prospective students can make the most of the virtual events? 

I believe if you take the time to use all the resources available to research for the programmes you are interested in and note down some questions or points of discussion beforehand, it’ll not look quite different than the face to face open week. You’ll be able to use the chat function to ask any questions or queries you might have.    

 

What kind of things can students ask you? 

Anything! I’ll be happy to answer any questions about my programme, guidance on the suitability of the programme given your background, the structure of the programme, the way we teach it, and the future career prospects after studying on the programme. We are an approachable bunch so feel free to ask away. People often have very specific questions about the suitability of the programme given their career goal and their academic preparation so far. I often get queries about what modules they can take, the format of the general teaching and research interests regarding dissertation supervision.  

 

Why is it important to attend the  events? 

I think it’s really important to attend the events as it gives you a firsthand feeling of the University and the staff working here. Though they’re taking place virtually this year, by attending the events you’ll get to know how we are using technology to facilitate communication in this new normal state of life. By chatting to academics, you can make sure that the program is the right one for you.  

 

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Dave Jarman is a Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship within the Faculty of Arts.

Tell us about your journey into academia… 

Like most of the team at the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, I’ve followed a slightly unconventional path into academia! We actually pride ourselves on the diversity of experience we’ve collectively accumulated!  

After my own master’s degree at Bristol, I was initially a skills trainer and development coach in the Students’ Union and later the Careers Service here at the University. Then just over 10 years ago I started supporting freelancers and start-up entrepreneurs whilst working for the University’s Research and Enterprise Division, supporting new social and commercial ventures ranging from healthcare and high-tech ideas to charities and creative freelancers.  

I eventually became the Head of Enterprise Education here at Bristol, chaired the UK’s national network of entrepreneurship educators, and then became the Head of both Careers and Enterprise at a creative arts university just down the road. I got tempted back to Bristol with a switch to the academic side of the house as a Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at what was then a brand new Centre in 2016. 

 

What tips do you have for prospective postgraduate students? 

My top tip for prospective postgraduate students when applying is to show us the trajectory that you’re on; what I mean by this is if we’re going to invest in you and support you, we want to see in your application some evidence of your passion and skill so far, and also your ambitions for the future. We want to invest in students who’ve got the motivation to make the most of the course, so show us your initiative, show us your burning interest, show us your hopes for the future and that’ll excite us about wanting to work with you to achieve that. 

 

What’s your experience of events at Bristol? 

Whilst events have moved online they’re still a great way to meet people. I love meeting prospective students and talking through their ideas and ambitions. It’s really fun sharing our programme with people who are usually surprised by just how practical it is. 

 

Do you have any advice for how prospective students can make the most of the virtual events? 

Make the most out of all the resources and opportunities available. Read the information, come to events and ask questions using the chat, listen in to the briefings and try to get a feel for what we do. If you’re still not sure about something, get in touch and ask! 

 

What kind of things can students ask you? 

Applicants can ask almost anything, certainly about what and how we teach, and what and how we assess (clue: no exams), but I’d also welcome questions about what a great city Bristol is for start-up and innovation. We often get questions about getting the chance to work on a specific idea during the master’s, which is possible, but most students tend to have better ideas whilst they’re studying! I also get asked if you need a business idea to even apply, to which the answer is a definite “no”, we can help you have all those ideas! 

 

Why is it important to attend the events? 

Research is important! Obviously I’d say that, but it is important to get a proper feel for what you’re applying to. It’ll help you make the best choice and it’ll help give you content to put into your application too. It’s also fun!

 

Register today

 

Professor Dave Cowan is a Professor of Law and Policy in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law.

Tell us about your journey into academia…

I became an academic by chance, really.  I had an undergraduate degree in law, and decided not to take up my training contract at a City law firm, as I wanted to focus on different (not really specific) interests.  I was forwarded an advert for a law lectureship at my old university by a friend and couldn’t believe it when they offered it to me. I was asked to teach land law, and from there I developed a deep interest in, and passion for, housing issues and social change. It has led to work changing the law on renting homes in Wales, and influencing changes in the law on housing standards in England.  After 30 years, I still skip into work, although that is a virtual skip at the moment. 

 

What tips do you have for prospective postgraduate students?

The most important thing is to look for the kind of programme that does more than merely interest you – it should inspire you and offer you the chance to do more.  That’s what we think we offer here. 

 

What’s your experience of events at Bristol?

I love meeting and engaging with our future students, and telling them about what we do here, the way we teach, and what is unique about us. Most of all, though, my colleagues and I get to talk about what we do and why we do it – I love hearing their passion for their research and conveying that research in their teaching. 

 

Do you have any advice for how prospective students can make the most of the virtual events? 

Make use of all the resources available and take the time to browse on the platform. There will be lots of information available, both programme-specific and more general information. What may well surprise you is the range of choice we offer, which we hope will spark your interest. You will have questions that you want to ask, so we hope that you will engage with us during the webinar, which will offer you the chance to have your questions answered by my colleagues and I. 

 

What kind of things can students ask you? 

You should feel free to ask us anything.  We are happy to answer any question about our programme, such as its modules and structure, and the way we teach it. You may want to ask advice on your next steps after studying on my programme. We are an approachable bunch so feel free to ask away. One of the great things about the open day is that we can never prepare for the kinds of questions we get asked, and so our responses are natural and demonstrate our passion for our subjects and the law school. The most common questions we get are around the format of teaching and assessment, as well as around the extra employability that our degrees offer.  

 

Why is it important to attend the events? 

What I have found is that, even though it’s virtual and so you don’t necessarily get a feel for the physical virtues of Bristol which are many, you can find out in a really focused way about the programme and the University. You can make sure that our programmes are tailored to your interests, and we might pique your interest in a slightly different area. By the end of the day, we hope that you will know that our University is the right place for you.