Taya Stankevych

What is your current job / programme of study?

PhD student in Loughborough university

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

Foundation in Maths, Biology and Chemistry, and IB in English (HL), Chemistry (HL), Biology (HL), Maths (SL), Geography (SL), German (SL)

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

I originally wanted to do biomaterials, but couldn’t find that right course so I decided to try Materials Science instead and I liked Loughborough University and Materials so much that I stayed.

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?)

Making the connections between the behaviour of the materials and the structure of it that leads to those properties, how to process them in the way to create it, and hence trying to diagnose why the material failed or how to not allow it to fail.

Another high point would be going to grocery stores and checking which material is the packaging made from and knowing how it was made, and that it is not microwavable.

What is your research about?

Improving mechanical recycling of PLA.

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

Training undergraduate students with equipment.

What do you see yourself doing in the future?

I would like to continue learning and improving my knowledge in materials, polymers and recycling, as well as other disciplines, so probably something that would allow me to do that best.

What is your favourite material (and why)?

Chocolate. You would never think how many phases and details there are to it, and that you need to be careful with its temperatures, but also, you could eat it after testing.