Chemical & Process EngineeringDr Maryam Derkani

Dr Maryam Derkani, from Iran, first came to Strathclyde to study an MSc in Advanced Chemical & Process Engineering. On completion of her Masters, Maryam chose to stay at Strathclyde to further her studies at PhD level. Find out below what she enjoyed about life at Strathclyde, the research community and her plans for the future.

Why did you choose Strathclyde for your PhD study?

Strathclyde is a leading international technological university with strong connections to industry, which offered me an ideal environment to develop my engineering knowledge and expertise, as well as transferable skills required for future employment.

What was your PhD based on?

My PhD was an industrial project based on modelling colloidal interactions at oil-rock-brine interfaces, which could potentially give valuable insight into enhancing oil recovery in depleted oil reservoirs by taking advantage of both experimental measurements and theoretical modelling.

What's the Strathclyde research community like?

In Strathclyde, there are always opportunities to meet new people and establish connections with other researchers or industry partners for potential future collaboration/employment.

What are the facilities like at Strathclyde?

The University has brand new state-of-the-art facilities across the engineering faculty, which allows you to undertake world-class research on a wide range of subjects."

How did you find support from your supervisor and the wider Strathclyde community?

My supervisor, Dr Ashleigh Fletcher, not only patiently guided me throughout my project and provided me with enormous amount of support in order to complete my study, but also inspired me with her enthusiasm for research and her professional manner.

Additionally, I had access to laboratory instruments in a variety of departments across the University and would have not been able to complete my study without the help and support I received from the Strathclyde community.

What's the best thing about life at Strathclyde?

The best thing about life at Strathclyde is living in Glasgow, which is a vibrant and multicultural city with super friendly people who are always willing to help.

What do you hope to do now that you've completed your PhD?

Now that I have overcome the challenges involved in studying a postgraduate research degree, I wish to explore new exciting challenges and apply my engineering knowledge, while relishing the opportunity to gain an insight into ‘real world’ engineering, as well as research and development practices.