Adam Gardner

What is your current programme of study?

Materials science and engineering undergraduate at the University of Sheffield

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

Maths, Chemistry, Geography and Physics

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

I chose to study MSE because I really loved chemistry at A-level. I wanted to do an engineering discipline with plenty of chemistry and one of my teachers mentioned MSE.

What did you enjoy most about your MSE course? (If you didn’t do a MSE course which course did you do and what led to you MSE?) 

The breadth of different topics covered. Some of my favourites are crystallography and fracture mechanics.

What is your research about?  

I haven’t had the chance to do much research yet, but I have completed a project looking at carbon fibre plates and their use in running shoes which was a lot of fun.

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

Aluminium sand casting, it felt great to do some proper hands-on work.

What do you see yourself doing in the future? 

Potentially something in the marine sector, as I find corrosion particularly interesting.

What is your favourite material (and why)?  

Definitely steel. It can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be and it has such a wide range of applications.

What advice would you give your 16 year old self? 

Keep doing new things and enjoy yourself!