What is your educational background?
I graduated from high school in my hometown of Warsaw, Poland in 2018 and then studied a double major in Psychology and Philosophy at New York University Abu Dhabi. I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in 2022. Over the course of my studies, I was able to take elective courses in neuroscience and by the end of my bachelor’s degree, I was determined to pursue an MSc in this field.
Why did you choose to apply to the Dementia MSc programme?
I have been interested in dementia since before my first year of university and was very happy to find a course such as the Dementia (Neuroscience) MSc, which allowed me to focus in-depth on this topic. Furthermore, I was excited about completing a programme that would let me move from psychology into neuroscience and gain experience doing wet-lab research, which I ended up being able to do for my research project/dissertation.
What did you enjoyed most about the programme?
My experience with the MSc was great overall, but what I think stood out to me most is that in each lecture of our modules, the lecturers were experts in the specific topic they were teaching. They often presented cutting-edge, very recent work from their laboratories and their passion for their topic was evident and inspiring. This aspect also further convinced me that I had made the right decision in choosing a master’s programme which includes a significant taught component.
What have you done since graduating?
Following my MSc, I started a laboratory internship in my home country to further build on my research skills and am currently applying for PhD programmes in neurobiology. I was able to start my current internship thanks to the research skills I had obtained during my lab-based dissertation at UCL.
What are your future career goals?
My future goal is to continue studying and researching dementia. I aim to leverage the theoretical knowledge I gained in taught modules and practical lab experience from my thesis to complete a PhD focused on neurodegenerative diseases. In addition to carrying out research, I am interested in science communication, and I believe in the importance of not only contributing to scientific journals but also raising awareness of neurodegenerative diseases and making research findings accessible to the general public.
What would be your top tip for incoming students?
Something that I wish I had realised before starting my MSc is just how fast a one-year programme goes by. It may seem like there is a lot of time left before the dissertation is due, but it passes very quickly, so my top piece of advice is to start planning early, as soon as you have a topic and confirmed supervisor. Begin the literature review, start planning out your writing, run ideas by other lab members or fellow course mates. Having said that, keep in mind that time flies, but also remember to enjoy every day of this exciting MSc course!
Find out more about the Dementia: from Neuroscience to Clinical Practice MSc