Vicente's Reflection

If I hadn’t received my scholarship, I simply would not have been able to do my PhD at Imperial.

I was born and raised in Santiago, Chile. I did my undergraduate degree and Master's there before moving to London to pursue my PhD. My parents have a background in filmmaking, so they struggle a little bit when I talk about the Physics research I’m doing! But they are immensely proud that I was able to come to Imperial to do my PhD with a fully funded scholarship.

As a non-EU foreign national, I was not eligible for almost all funding schemes. The President’s PhD scholarship allowed me to move to the UK and work on my research without worrying about getting into debt, or questioning if I would be able to afford living in London.

The scholarship fully covered my tuition fees and provided a generous stipend (at least compared to other PhD scholarships). This mental peace allowed me to focus solely on my research, despite the challenges that emerged from the pandemic. The £2,000 annual consumables support enabled me to travel and present my work internationally, which meant I could start and strengthen collaborations. In fact, I met my current supervisor at Princeton at a conference in the United States.

I think the biggest highlight of being at Imperial is the emphasis on collaboration and friendship.

I love how connected people stay after graduating. I visit the research group often, and every time feels like I never left. The Plasma Physics Group annual barbeque on the terrace of the Blackett laboratory building is a very fond memory, too. So my advice to current students would be: make friends. You’ll be happier, and also science is only as good as the collaboration that goes into it, so it pays off on that front as well!

I was lucky enough to come work with my heroes here at Imperial. Dr Francisco Suzuki-Vidal has been such a big inspiration and supporter of my path. From my 2^nd year onwards, I shared an office with Dr Lee Suttle, who back when I was still in Chile wrote a paper that pulled me into my current field of research! My plan for the future is to stay in academic research. Since finishing, I’ve moved to Princeton University to continue my research but also explore new frontiers.

To the donors, I would like to say thank you so much. This scholarship scheme is truly special, as it brings talent to Imperial regardless of the candidate’s nationality. This is such a big competitive advantage over other universities in the UK and Europe.

I am very grateful that the donors share the vision of Imperial being a truly international community which can provide support for anyone.

Vicente (PhD Physics 2022)

 

Leila's Reflection

To this day and I presume for much longer, obtaining a degree from Imperial has been one of my greatest lifetime achievements.

I moved from Iran to the UK at the age of three. This was a decision made by my parents as they worried about the future for young women in Iran given the political climate and wanted my sister and I to pursue whatever interested us and achieve our full potential.

Receiving an offer to study medicine at Imperial, especially with a scholarship, was a wonderful and profound moment for me and my family. For them, it felt as if their immense sacrifices were justified. For me, I felt unbelievably proud of myself and grateful for my family, and in that moment, I really did believe that my future was in my own hands.

I vividly remember the moment I read my scholarship email. I read it multiple times before it started to make sense. I couldn’t understand how or why I would be offered a scholarship and so soon after my interview. I suppose I lacked confidence. I one by one told the members of my family who proceeded to scream and hug me. Being supported at such an early stage in the degree really set the precedent for my 6 years at Imperial. Since the get go I was hardworking and eager to pursue any opportunities presented which I did do.

My advice to current students is to recognize the magnitude of your achievement of studying at Imperial, a truly world-class institute, and be grateful for it. I am proud to have graduated with two degrees from one of the world’s best universities and to have been taught and mentored by fantastic scientists and clinicians who I aspire to be like. I am also proud to have trained in some of the best hospitals in the UK with unrivalled facilities. I am proud to have attended the university which played such a huge role in the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and as a result saved thousands if not millions of lives.

I would like to share with you my immense gratitude for your donation and support. [It] has enabled me to gain confidence in myself and to pursue opportunities, such as a competitive research placement in Tokyo, which have formed some of my fondest memories at Imperial. Thank you.

Leila (MBBS Medicine and BSc Intercalated Immunity and Infection 2022)

 

Ilankeeran's Reflection

I will always be proud to be an Imperial alumnus.

Imperial is one of the leading institutions for medical research. I will always be inspired by my lecturers Professor Amir Sam and Professor Karim Meeran. Both are excellent role models who not only actively practice medicine but also give so much back to the medical school with their excellent leadership and teaching. I am now determined to become a surgeon with a keen interest in research after seeing many of my role models balance these roles.

Before coming to university, I lived in a low-performing area with only a few people from where I live going to university. It was a rarity to see someone from my area go to such a prestigious university to study Medicine. My parents who both moved from India to the UK to give me a better life were incredibly proud of me.

To Future Students: Enjoy it! You will only be a student for a short time, make sure that you make the most of it. Say yes to new experiences and I guarantee you will leave the College a completely different person to who you started as. One of the best experiences I had was during the Summer Ball 2019, where I was surrounded by my friends and was completely in awe of my surroundings.

Thank you so much to the generous donors! Your support has completely changed my Imperial journey. I am constantly remined what a privilege it is to receive support from the generous donors as this money has allowed me to have the financial freedom to explore my hobbies while studying my course.

Ilankeeran (Medicine 2022)