Cameron Ward
My name is Cameron Ward, and I completed my undergraduate degree here in Strathclyde's Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry.
Impressed by the high teaching standards and excellent support, I jumped at the chance to apply for their new MSc in Chemistry with Artificial Intelligence. I later became Course Rep and am now pursuing a PhD in the same Department with a supervisor I met through the course.
Why Strathclyde?
It was a very easy decision. I had an amazingly positive experience with the Department during my undergraduate degree, which gave me great confidence in applying to the masters course. I knew the Department quite well and was assured of the level of support they offered.
Being part of the first cohort of this new degree programme was a very exciting experience. It's great to remain in contact with the course coordinators and see how it evolves in the coming years. The smaller class size compared to my undergraduate course meant everyone on the masters got more attention from lecturers and we also got to know each other much better as friends.
This masters specifically expands on my existing skillset, building on a computational chemistry workshop from my undergraduate degree which briefly introduced me to the topic. Now I have much more hands-on experience with different software and high-performance computing. Much of the course is data science-based and assumes no prior knowledge of coding, which makes it very accessible to those not coming from a data science background.
Postgraduate study at Strathclyde
I took on postgraduate study because I wanted to expand my existing skillset after a career break and thought it would be a good way to build confidence. I was also interested in a career in research, so I felt a masters degree would be useful in pursuing that goal.
The Strathclyde Alumni Scholarship also helped make the degree more affordable, which was an important consideration.
While my undergraduate degree equipped me with specialist knowledge in chemistry, this masters gave me a valuable complementary digital chemistry skillset.
During the MSc, I gained working knowledge of Python, data science, and deep learning, but more importantly, I learned how these tools are applied to chemical datasets and how they can be used to evaluate computational methods. My masters research project involved using machine learning models to predict physical properties of antibody-drug conjugates. There was a disparity in the performance of the models between datasets which could only be explained by a researcher with a good understanding of organic chemistry. This highlighted the need for multidisciplinary students like those this course produces.
Additionally, the classes in high-performance computing and software engineering have prepared me for a more data science-orientated career. I benefited from the teaching of two departments, and my time in the Computer & Information Sciences Department demonstrated how varied and applicable their technologies are.
The lecturers on this course are wonderfully passionate about their subject matter and are very committed to supporting their students, keeping their welfare in mind, and making them feel like a valued part of the department.
Glasgow
Glasgow is such a friendly city, and staying in Strathclyde’s own Andrew Ure Hall the past year was a good experience; it’s a great location right in the heart of Merchant City, so it’s a very short commute to the University buildings and easy access to the bars and venues nearby.
As someone who has lived here for several years now, I am often the person to show new students around, especially the bars that offer student discounts.
The Strath Union is also a great atmosphere with its bar and the many societies to get involved with.
What's next?
I have managed to further my studies, in part due to connections I made on the masters course and I am now studying for a PhD with the Department.
I am currently researching the application of novel imaging techniques for monitoring the synthesis of oligonucleotides. This is giving me a chance to use the coding skills I learned from the master's and apply them to process monitoring and time series analysis as part of my PhD. Additionally, I am taking on an exciting educational project investigating the potential deployment of this technology within the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry’s undergraduate teaching labs.
My time at Strathclyde has given me the knowledge, skills, and confidence to pursue my ambitions to grow as a scientist and to become a science educator.
Come to Strathclyde
There are so many opportunities here and, for the most part, you get out of it what you put in, so do get involved.
Strathclyde's Department of Pure & Applied Chemistry sets a very high bar with the standard of teaching it delivers. Their keen emphasis on student feedback – both listening and acting on it – makes it the best place to study.