Andrew Gamalski, 2009 Scholar, Peterhouse, Cambridge

To date, my PhD experience in Electrical Engineering at the University of Cambridge has been highly rewarding, yet also highly demanding. In contrast to an American PhD program, I was immediately dropped into the laboratory and challenged to adapt and perform. UK PhD programs expect a high level of independence, creativity, and intellectual flexibility. Self-instruction is essential. Specifically, I had to undertake challenging experiments alone on a modified transmission electron microscope outside of Cambridge without my supervisor’s assistance. Talented students are transformed into hardened scientists, well prepared for independent research in a government, industrial, or academic laboratory.

Numerous evenings have been spent wandering between local pubs with friends from lab. Candle-lit formal dinners in Peterhouse College’s ancient dining hall have given me a real sense of Cambridge’s rich history and tradition. Exploring the varied towns in East England has made me appreciate choosing to study in the UK.