connect 7 issue 2
DESCRIPTION
Connect 7 Issue 2TRANSCRIPT
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Connect
February2012
Firstly, to those applicants who
have applied to us since our
December edition of Connect 7,
thank you for making the University
one of your five UCAS choices. We
understand what an important
decision this is, and aim to simplify
what can be a daunting experience.
While we are considering your
application we thought it would be
helpful to give you a taste of what
life at the University will be like as
well as an insight into what some of
our current students have to say
about their time here.
In this edition, we are featuring
student profiles from four of our
seven Schools to give you an insight
into student life at Edinburgh. We
hope you enjoy what Francesco
Restuccia, (School of Engineering),
Johanna Kerch, (School of
GeoSciences), Alex Davies, (School of
Informatics) and Victor Reyes-Umana
(School of Biological Sciences) have
to say about their Edinburgh
experience.
When you submitted your application
form through UCAS, you will have
received an e-mail from us with your
MyEd login details. MyEd is a web
based service to allow us to
communicate with you on all aspects
of your application, from initial
decision through to information on
accommodation and registration.
Keep checking your MyEd inbox for
any communication from us but in the
meantime we thought you might like
some information on the great
facilities the University has to offer
and why we think Edinburgh should
be your first choice for this next
important step in your life.
Welcome to Connect
7the eZine for students who have applied to the College of Science & Engineering at the University of Edinburgh.
What happens next?We have received your application
which is currently being considered,
by our Admissions Officers,
alongside all other suitably qualified
applicants. We hope that you will
have heard back from us with a
decision on your application by the
end of February.
As you have met or are predicted to
meet our minimum entrance
requirements, your application is now
in ‘selection’. You can find out
exactly what we take into
consideration during this process at
http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-
departments/science-
engineering/studying/
undergraduate/applying/selection-
process/school-leavers.
If you receive an offer, one of the
next steps is to consider attending
one of our Post Application Visit
Days. Dates for these are available at
http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-
departments/science-
engineering/studying/
undergraduate/visit-us
These visit days will allow you the
opportunity to spend time in the
School you have applied to and meet
staff and students who will give you a
deeper insight into the programme
you have chosen to study. It is also
an opportunity to visit the wider
University and the city to get a better
feel for what it would be like to study
here. An invitation to one of these
days will be sent to you by the School
if you have been made an offer.
New Library for Kings BuildingsAmong the many reasons to come to
Edinburgh to study a degree within the
College of Science & Engineering are the
study facilities. One such facility is the
stunning new KB Library which is set to
create a striking new building at the heart of
the KB Campus. The four storey building will
face south across the green centre of the
Campus and will be a place for study and
learning, a place for meeting and discussion,
a new focus for the intellectual and social
life of the Campus. This fantastic new facility
will be open in time for new entrants in the
2012/13 academic session.
Firstly, to those applicants who
have applied to us since our
December edition of Connect 7,
thank you for making the University
one of your five UCAS choices. We
understand what an important
decision this is, and aim to simplify
what can be a daunting experience.
While we are considering your
application we thought it would be
helpful to give you a taste of what
life at the University will be like as
well as an insight into what some of
our current students have to say
about their time here.
In this edition, we are featuring
student profiles from four of our
seven Schools to give you an insight
into student life at Edinburgh. We
hope you enjoy what Francesco
Restuccia, (School of Engineering),
Johanna Kerch, (School of
GeoSciences), Alex Davies, (School of
Informatics) and Victor Reyes-Umana
(School of Biological Sciences) have
to say about their Edinburgh
experience.
When you submitted your application
form through UCAS, you will have
received an e-mail from us with your
MyEd login details. MyEd is a web
based service to allow us to
communicate with you on all aspects
of your application, from initial
decision through to information on
accommodation and registration.
Keep checking your MyEd inbox for
any communication from us but in the
meantime we thought you might like
some information on the great
facilities the University has to offer
and why we think Edinburgh should
be your first choice for this next
important step in your life.
Welcome to Connect
7the eZine for students who have applied to the College of Science & Engineering at the University of Edinburgh.
What happens next?We have received your application
which is currently being considered,
by our Admissions Officers,
alongside all other suitably qualified
applicants. We hope that you will
have heard back from us with a
decision on your application by the
end of February.
As you have met or are predicted to
meet our minimum entrance
requirements, your application is now
in ‘selection’. You can find out
exactly what we take into
consideration during this process at
http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-
departments/science-
engineering/studying/
undergraduate/applying/selection-
process/school-leavers.
If you receive an offer, one of the
next steps is to consider attending
one of our Post Application Visit
Days. Dates for these are available at
http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-
departments/science-
engineering/studying/
undergraduate/visit-us
These visit days will allow you the
opportunity to spend time in the
School you have applied to and meet
staff and students who will give you a
deeper insight into the programme
you have chosen to study. It is also
an opportunity to visit the wider
University and the city to get a better
feel for what it would be like to study
here. An invitation to one of these
days will be sent to you by the School
if you have been made an offer.
New Library for Kings BuildingsAmong the many reasons to come to
Edinburgh to study a degree within the
College of Science & Engineering are the
study facilities. One such facility is the
stunning new KB Library which is set to
create a striking new building at the heart of
the KB Campus. The four storey building will
face south across the green centre of the
Campus and will be a place for study and
learning, a place for meeting and discussion,
a new focus for the intellectual and social
life of the Campus. This fantastic new facility
will be open in time for new entrants in the
2012/13 academic session.
We know how important sports
facilities are to you and we are proud
that the University of Edinburgh is
one of the UK’s leading sports
universities, boasting an alumni
sporting ‘Hall of Fame’ that includes,
Olympic medallists Eric Liddell, Chris
Hoy and Katherine Grainger.
Catering for leisure users as well as
performance athletes, the
University’s Centre for Sport and
Exercise (CSE) carries a five-star
rating and its recently completed
multi-million dollar extension makes
it one of the best-equipped gyms in
the UK. The CSE has played host to
a variety of elite athletes and teams,
including the New Zealand All Blacks
rugby squad who, on a recent visit,
praised the CSE as one of the best
gyms they have trained in.
The University of Edinburgh supports
high-level student athletes from all
over the world through its Individual
and Team Performance programmes,
which, on top of financial assistance,
includes personal training in strength
and conditioning as well as
physiotherapy sessions at our
world-leading FASIC centre.
In the 2011/2012 academic year,
University of Edinburgh students
pay just £100 for a full September-
to-September membership to the
CSE. There are also shorter-term
semester memberships and pay-as-
you-go options available.
Facilities included in membership:•Cardiovascular gym
•Free weights
•Cable weights
•Circuits gym
•Swimming pool
•Fitness classes
•Gym support
Additional facilities: •A range of bookable activities
including badminton, basketball,
squash etc
•Climbing and bouldering
•Personal Training
•Physiotherapy
•Outdoor activities at Firbush
Centre
•Tennis courts and outdoor pitches
at Peffermill Playing Fields
Further Information:[email protected]
Edinburgh University SportsUnionAs well as our fantastic sports
facilities we also have the biggest
sports union in Scotland with 6,500
individual members and 63 clubs.
Our well-managed and
well-equipped clubs provide regular
training and participate in a variety of
UK university competitions. We also
offer the largest Intra-Mural sports
programme in Scotland, which offers
a relaxed alternative to club sport
and is open to anyone who wants to
take part in sport just for fun.
What sports are on offer? Soccer (Men's, Women's),
Basketball, Hockey, Netball, Squash,
Rugby Union, Cricket and many
more
Further Information:[email protected]
The Centre forSport andExercise
We know how important sports
facilities are to you and we are proud
that the University of Edinburgh is
one of the UK’s leading sports
universities, boasting an alumni
sporting ‘Hall of Fame’ that includes,
Olympic medallists Eric Liddell, Chris
Hoy and Katherine Grainger.
Catering for leisure users as well as
performance athletes, the
University’s Centre for Sport and
Exercise (CSE) carries a five-star
rating and its recently completed
multi-million dollar extension makes
it one of the best-equipped gyms in
the UK. The CSE has played host to
a variety of elite athletes and teams,
including the New Zealand All Blacks
rugby squad who, on a recent visit,
praised the CSE as one of the best
gyms they have trained in.
The University of Edinburgh supports
high-level student athletes from all
over the world through its Individual
and Team Performance programmes,
which, on top of financial assistance,
includes personal training in strength
and conditioning as well as
physiotherapy sessions at our
world-leading FASIC centre.
In the 2011/2012 academic year,
University of Edinburgh students
pay just £100 for a full September-
to-September membership to the
CSE. There are also shorter-term
semester memberships and pay-as-
you-go options available.
Facilities included in membership:•Cardiovascular gym
•Free weights
•Cable weights
•Circuits gym
•Swimming pool
•Fitness classes
•Gym support
Additional facilities: •A range of bookable activities
including badminton, basketball,
squash etc
•Climbing and bouldering
•Personal Training
•Physiotherapy
•Outdoor activities at Firbush
Centre
•Tennis courts and outdoor pitches
at Peffermill Playing Fields
Further Information:[email protected]
Edinburgh University SportsUnionAs well as our fantastic sports
facilities we also have the biggest
sports union in Scotland with 6,500
individual members and 63 clubs.
Our well-managed and
well-equipped clubs provide regular
training and participate in a variety of
UK university competitions. We also
offer the largest Intra-Mural sports
programme in Scotland, which offers
a relaxed alternative to club sport
and is open to anyone who wants to
take part in sport just for fun.
What sports are on offer? Soccer (Men's, Women's),
Basketball, Hockey, Netball, Squash,
Rugby Union, Cricket and many
more
Further Information:[email protected]
The Centre forSport andExercise
Francesco is thoroughly enjoying
his time at Edinburgh and is
constantly challenged. “The courseprogramme ranges over many different fields and I think it gives astudent and future graduate theopportunity to develop problemsolving skills and prepares them for the job industry.”
Francesco notes that the University of
Edinburgh is very multicultural and
many of its students are from
overseas, “I have made friends with
people from all over the world since I
came to study at Edinburgh” he says.
He also likes that everything in
Edinburgh is easily accessible as it is
not a particularly big city. He has even
got used to Scotland’s temperamental
weather since arriving here, “it tends
to rain quite a lot here but that means
you have lots of beautiful gardens to
explore.”
Francesco hopes his hard work this
year has paid off - a good set of
exam results will ensure he can take
up an offer to study for a year at the
prestigious California Institute of
Technology on an international
exchange programme. “I'm really
excited” he says, “I think the
student exchange is a great
programme because it enables
students from our university to
experience different university
environments all over the world,
from Europe to North America and
Australia.”
Francesco has also experienced life
as an employee of the University of
Edinburgh. This year he has been
working as a house assistant in
Pollock Halls of Residence, which is
the catered accommodation for 1st
year students. “As a house assistant
I’m responsible for organizing events
throughout the year and making sure
all our students are happy in their
accommodation.”
Once he has completed his
undergraduate studies in Edinburgh
Francesco plans to study for a PhD -
good luck Francesco!
EN
GIN
EE
RIN
GFrancescoRestucciaFrancessco is from Italy and is in the 2nd year of an Electrical and Mechanical Engineering MEng. He wanted to study at an English speaking University and decided to come here after beingimpressed with the courses on offer and the degree options available.
Francesco is thoroughly enjoying
his time at Edinburgh and is
constantly challenged. “The courseprogramme ranges over many different fields and I think it gives astudent and future graduate theopportunity to develop problemsolving skills and prepares them for the job industry.”
Francesco notes that the University of
Edinburgh is very multicultural and
many of its students are from
overseas, “I have made friends with
people from all over the world since I
came to study at Edinburgh” he says.
He also likes that everything in
Edinburgh is easily accessible as it is
not a particularly big city. He has even
got used to Scotland’s temperamental
weather since arriving here, “it tends
to rain quite a lot here but that means
you have lots of beautiful gardens to
explore.”
Francesco hopes his hard work this
year has paid off - a good set of
exam results will ensure he can take
up an offer to study for a year at the
prestigious California Institute of
Technology on an international
exchange programme. “I'm really
excited” he says, “I think the
student exchange is a great
programme because it enables
students from our university to
experience different university
environments all over the world,
from Europe to North America and
Australia.”
Francesco has also experienced life
as an employee of the University of
Edinburgh. This year he has been
working as a house assistant in
Pollock Halls of Residence, which is
the catered accommodation for 1st
year students. “As a house assistant
I’m responsible for organizing events
throughout the year and making sure
all our students are happy in their
accommodation.”
Once he has completed his
undergraduate studies in Edinburgh
Francesco plans to study for a PhD -
good luck Francesco!
EN
GIN
EE
RIN
G
FrancescoRestucciaFrancessco is from Italy and is in the 2nd year of an Electrical and Mechanical Engineering MEng. He wanted to study at an English speaking University and decided to come here after beingimpressed with the courses on offer and the degree options available.
Johanna was initially drawn to
Edinburgh, due to the wide range of
GeoSciences courses available. “TheUniversity of Edinburgh is one ofthe few universities in the UK tooffer Geophysics,” she says. “The application process for visiting students was straight forward andwell coordinated so I decided totake a chance and apply.”
Johanna is passionate about
Geophysics, and particularly enjoys
the practical aspect of the subject.
Students have the opportunity to
participate in field trips and in the past
have travelled as far as Chile and
Jamaica! “For me, nothing is more
real or relevant than Geophysics.
When I work outdoors, I feel as if I’m
achieving a deeper understanding of
the world we live in.” She is also
enthusiastic about the GeoSciences
department and its staff. “It has a
great atmosphere, and people go out
of their way to help.”
Johanna has found it easy to settle
into the Edinburgh lifestyle, and thinks
the city has real character. She has
joined a few societies since arriving
here, such as the Geology Society
and the Country Dance Society, and
especially enjoys a good ceilidh!
“I love ceilidh dancing,” she says.
“It’s a fantastic tradition, and we don’t
have anything in Germany to compare
it with. I’ve got to know a lot of people
through the societies, and although
I’ve only been here six months, I feel
very much at home.”
Johanna certainly has no regrets
about being a visiting student in
Edinburgh. “I would definitely
recommend it,” she says. “Being a
visiting student has been a very
worthwhile experience, it has
broadened my horizons and has
helped me figure out which direction I
want to go in with my studies.”
What else will she take back to
Germany with her when her year in
Edinburgh is over? “I can now
understand the Scottish accent,“says
Johanna,“and you never know when
that will come in useful!”
GE
OSC
IEN
CE
SJohanna KerchJohanna a Geophysics student from Germany, iscurrently in the middle of a five year degree programme. She has decided to spend her thirdyear in Edinburgh as part of the visiting studentsprogramme.
Johanna was initially drawn to
Edinburgh, due to the wide range of
GeoSciences courses available. “TheUniversity of Edinburgh is one ofthe few universities in the UK tooffer Geophysics,” she says. “The application process for visiting students was straight forward andwell coordinated so I decided totake a chance and apply.”
Johanna is passionate about
Geophysics, and particularly enjoys
the practical aspect of the subject.
Students have the opportunity to
participate in field trips and in the past
have travelled as far as Chile and
Jamaica! “For me, nothing is more
real or relevant than Geophysics.
When I work outdoors, I feel as if I’m
achieving a deeper understanding of
the world we live in.” She is also
enthusiastic about the GeoSciences
department and its staff. “It has a
great atmosphere, and people go out
of their way to help.”
Johanna has found it easy to settle
into the Edinburgh lifestyle, and thinks
the city has real character. She has
joined a few societies since arriving
here, such as the Geology Society
and the Country Dance Society, and
especially enjoys a good ceilidh!
“I love ceilidh dancing,” she says.
“It’s a fantastic tradition, and we don’t
have anything in Germany to compare
it with. I’ve got to know a lot of people
through the societies, and although
I’ve only been here six months, I feel
very much at home.”
Johanna certainly has no regrets
about being a visiting student in
Edinburgh. “I would definitely
recommend it,” she says. “Being a
visiting student has been a very
worthwhile experience, it has
broadened my horizons and has
helped me figure out which direction I
want to go in with my studies.”
What else will she take back to
Germany with her when her year in
Edinburgh is over? “I can now
understand the Scottish accent,“says
Johanna,“and you never know when
that will come in useful!”
GE
OSC
IEN
CE
S
Johanna KerchJohanna a Geophysics student from Germany, iscurrently in the middle of a five year degree programme. She has decided to spend her thirdyear in Edinburgh as part of the visiting studentsprogramme.
Alex Davies is a second yearstudent from the Scottish Borderswho’s already taking advantage ofthe varied schemes available toUndergraduate students – he wasawarded the Barclays Capital scholarship after his first set ofexams in first year! The Barclaysscholarship pays for his studies andwill also give him the opportunity ofa work placement in the summerbefore the start of his fourth year.“This should be a rewarding challenge, and I’m looking forward to getting an inside view of theindustry.”
The experience that Edinburgh
University offers as a whole was also
very important to Alex when initially
deciding where to come for his
Undergraduate degree – “I’ve always
loved Edinburgh as a city, and I knew
the Informatics department was very
highly rated. I looked into lots of
other options, visited other
universities and contemplated other
courses, but eventually all this just
confirmed my initial feeling that
Edinburgh was the place for me!”
It’s proved a satisfying choice, “It's
given me the chance to meet new
people, take part in a massively
varied range of activities (such as the
Drum Society which played at events
like the Scottish Juggling Convention
and the Meadows Marathon), and
study a subject I find fascinating. In
general, I love my day-to-day life
here and the freedom that studying
at University offers.”
Although he hasn’t decided whether
to go into industry or further study
yet Alex already knows what he’ll
take away from studying at
Edinburgh – “Some amazing friends,
a whole range of new interests, an
idea of what I want to do with the
rest of my life and hopefully the
experience necessary to realise it.”
INFO
RM
ATIC
SAlex DaviesMany students find their natural talents and interests have lead to Informatics. In a fast paced and challenging world where business and financial problems are affecting people worldwide, the need for high quality knowledgeand experience in Informatics is increasingly valuable. That’s one of the many reasons why more and more students are being drawn to Edinburgh University.
Alex Davies is a second yearstudent from the Scottish Borderswho’s already taking advantage ofthe varied schemes available toUndergraduate students – he wasawarded the Barclays Capital scholarship after his first set ofexams in first year! The Barclaysscholarship pays for his studies andwill also give him the opportunity ofa work placement in the summerbefore the start of his fourth year.“This should be a rewarding challenge, and I’m looking forward to getting an inside view of theindustry.”
The experience that Edinburgh
University offers as a whole was also
very important to Alex when initially
deciding where to come for his
Undergraduate degree – “I’ve always
loved Edinburgh as a city, and I knew
the Informatics department was very
highly rated. I looked into lots of
other options, visited other
universities and contemplated other
courses, but eventually all this just
confirmed my initial feeling that
Edinburgh was the place for me!”
It’s proved a satisfying choice, “It's
given me the chance to meet new
people, take part in a massively
varied range of activities (such as the
Drum Society which played at events
like the Scottish Juggling Convention
and the Meadows Marathon), and
study a subject I find fascinating. In
general, I love my day-to-day life
here and the freedom that studying
at University offers.”
Although he hasn’t decided whether
to go into industry or further study
yet Alex already knows what he’ll
take away from studying at
Edinburgh – “Some amazing friends,
a whole range of new interests, an
idea of what I want to do with the
rest of my life and hopefully the
experience necessary to realise it.”
INFO
RM
ATIC
S
Alex DaviesMany students find their natural talents and interests have lead to Informatics. In a fast paced and challenging world where business and financial problems are affecting people worldwide, the need for high quality knowledgeand experience in Informatics is increasingly valuable. That’s one of the many reasons why more and more students are being drawn to Edinburgh University.
“It's important knowing that theUniversity has a good reputation asan institution for top of the lineresearch, and that it prepares youfor the world ahead. I really enjoy itsince you’re able to get lecturesfrom professors or doctors who arespecialists in the subject and areconducting some of this research.”
“I chose Edinburgh mainly because of
the quality of work that is expected
from you, it would have been the
most challenging out of all the other
universities I had applied to. I also
chose it because I wanted to
experience a different kind of lifestyle
away from home, and be in a city
where it is friendly towards students.”
Victor really enthused about the
support that he’s been offered in his
three years at Edinburgh so far, “there
are a lot more sources than one
actually needs, and this makes it
really easy to read outside of the
lecture material that one is given in
lectures, and come to a greater
understanding of what is being talked
about. Also, there is a significant
amount of help available if it is
needed. The discussion forums for
the class, private meetings with
professors and tutors who help with
any aspect of the course, all help
make the experience of studying here
at the University really enjoyable.”
It’s not all work though! “I took part in
the athletics club during first year. As
a hobby outside of the University I
learn foreign languages for fun. I also
have led some tours for the
International Office and Student
Recruitment & Admissions. Being
here has allowed me to travel quite a
bit, and that’s a definite plus!”
BIO
LO
GIC
AL
SC
IEN
CE
SVictor Reyes-UmanaCalifornia to Edinburgh may seem like quite a leap, but Victor Reyes-Umana knew that thisUniversity was the one for his Biological Sciences degree.
“It's important knowing that theUniversity has a good reputation asan institution for top of the lineresearch, and that it prepares youfor the world ahead. I really enjoy itsince you’re able to get lecturesfrom professors or doctors who arespecialists in the subject and areconducting some of this research.”
“I chose Edinburgh mainly because of
the quality of work that is expected
from you, it would have been the
most challenging out of all the other
universities I had applied to. I also
chose it because I wanted to
experience a different kind of lifestyle
away from home, and be in a city
where it is friendly towards students.”
Victor really enthused about the
support that he’s been offered in his
three years at Edinburgh so far, “there
are a lot more sources than one
actually needs, and this makes it
really easy to read outside of the
lecture material that one is given in
lectures, and come to a greater
understanding of what is being talked
about. Also, there is a significant
amount of help available if it is
needed. The discussion forums for
the class, private meetings with
professors and tutors who help with
any aspect of the course, all help
make the experience of studying here
at the University really enjoyable.”
It’s not all work though! “I took part in
the athletics club during first year. As
a hobby outside of the University I
learn foreign languages for fun. I also
have led some tours for the
International Office and Student
Recruitment & Admissions. Being
here has allowed me to travel quite a
bit, and that’s a definite plus!”
BIO
LO
GIC
AL
SC
IEN
CE
S
Victor Reyes-UmanaCalifornia to Edinburgh may seem like quite a leap, but Victor Reyes-Umana knew that thisUniversity was the one for his Biological Sciences degree.
We thought you might like to see some of
the wonderful pictures taken by three of our
international students for the International
Office’s third annual photography competition,
‘Edinburgh Discovered’. We think you will agree
they are simply fantastic!
This gorgeous photographwas taken by Jing Xie, fromChina, and won secondprize in the competition.
It will soon be Valentine’sDay and its hard to imaginea more romantic image ofthe Edinburgh skyline thanthis photograph taken bySarah Meisenheimer, fromGermany which won one ofthe ‘Principals Choice’prizes.
And lastly, this stunningphoto of Salisbury Crags,situated just a stone’s throw from the University’smain halls of residence,was taken by MuliadiTampubolon fromIndonesia and received arunner-up prize.
The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336.
And f
inally…
“Images courtesy of the International Office.”
College ofScience andEngineeringWeb: www.ed.ac.uk Email: [email protected]