Roseanne Clement

 This PhD was hosted in the School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, in partnership with the British Geological Survey (BGS).     

I was surprised by how flexible the PhD was – I was able to travel lots and work from home while still getting the work done.

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What was your research about?

I programmed a pattern searching method for events in seismic data for further statistical analysis using Python and Matplotlib. This included data mining to extract the seismic datasets, data wrangling to tidy them up and data visualisation to show the results of my analysis. This algorithm was used on a super-computer at the University in order to do the large calculations needed for such a task.

What made you apply to the E³ DTP?

It being a part of a cohort which included training, along with a project related to my Masters - I jumped at the chance to apply!

What did you find challenging in your PhD?

I thought there would be more inter-department relations on a professional and social level, however the only time I saw people in other buildings was mostly through the E³ DTP organised events.

I found it challenging making decisions for myself on an area that I wasn’t too confident on, especially very early on as I was from a non-geo background. My topic kept needing altered when faced with data issues as well, so it was difficult to know where to start.

I was surprised by how flexible the PhD was – I was able to travel lots and work from home while still getting the work done. It’s important to balance work and home life, and it’s easy to get caught up with working weekends, however it’s vital to take a break and enjoy it!.

Looking back, what would you have done differently?

I wish I had been firmer on some decisions for what work I did and that I started writing my thesis earlier. I went straight from PhD to work with only a weekend between, so some time off between would have been welcome!

Which aspects of your PhD did you enjoy the most?

Attending conferences around the work and meeting experts in my field. I also enjoyed learning about what the other PhD students are doing – it’s a diverse crowd and I loved hearing about everyone’s projects and their interest in it.

Which skills did you gain during your PhD?

Statistical analysis, time and project management, programming and science communication were the main ones.

I would not have been able to attend the conference in America, internships, or learnt many useful skills through workshops without the funding and support from the DTP.

What would not have been possible without the DTP?

I would not have been able to attend the conference in America, internships, or learnt many useful skills through workshops without the funding and support from the DTP. 

How has your PhD helped you to decide on a career path?

It was clear quite early in my PhD that the part that I enjoyed the most was the extracting knowledge and insights from different datasets through programming, i.e. data science. I didn’t want to stay in academia, and so I started attending many workshops in order to broaden my skillset for industry as there are so many courses organised by the E3 DTP, as well as by the University of Edinburgh’s Institute for Academic Development.

I didn’t want to stay in academia, and so I started attending many workshops in order to broaden my skillset for industry as there are so many courses organised by the E³ DTP, as well as by the University of Edinburgh’s Institute for Academic Development.

And now?

I secured a job in May 2019 after chatting with the company for a couple weeks after connecting with the head of analytics on LinkedIn. I started in August 2019 as an Analyst at Forecast, which is a consulting company that specialises in financial modelling, advanced analytics and business advisory. I really enjoy being able to apply the skills I learned from the PhD to a completely different field – it’s an exciting time! You can read more about my PhD research and new job here!