Alanna Senior

What is your current programme of study?

1st Year PhD student in Engineering Alloys at Imperial College London.

What A-Levels (or equivalent) did you do?

Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Further Mathematics and EPQ

Why did you chose a career in Materials Science and Engineering (MSE)? 

I love to understand what the world around us is made of, and why. For example, how do LED screens show different colours, what is magnetism, what causes a material to have a certain colour, what are different manufacturing methods and why do we use them? Having a degree in Materials allows me to understand these things, and work in almost all sectors, as materials make-up everything!

What did you enjoy most about your MSE course?

I loved the breadth of the course, which meant I was introduced to things that I would not normally seek to learn about. For example, although I am a nuclear materials nut, I found learning about all of the incredible developments in biomaterials truly fascinating.

What is your research about?  

In nuclear reactors, some of the best alloys to use contain cobalt. However, this cobalt gets activated to a radioactive isotope when in the reactor (bad!). Therefore, my research looks at comparing these commonly used alloys with newer alloys in development, with a particular focus on their wear-resistance.

What is the coolest thing you have done in your career so far?  

Going to the Nuclear Materials Conference in Singapore! It was amazing to put faces to names of professors I regard as superstars, having read many of their papers. Not only did I learn a lot and make many new connections, I had never been to Asia before so it was a once in a lifetime experience.

What do you see yourself doing in the future? 

In the future, I would love to work in the nuclear industry, in a lab-based role, as I love being hands-on.

What is your favourite material (and why)?  

Shape memory alloys – they return to their original shape upon heating after being deformed!

What advice would you give your 16 year old self? 

There is no time like the present.

Links

LinkedIn