MSci Alumni Spotlight: Esther Uwannah

The most important thing I learnt during my degree was that work-life balance takes organisation: but it is so worth it!

Living in London for the first time was awesome, but if I wasn’t organised I would never have been able to take advantages of all the cool pop-ups, shows, nights out, and amazing food there was all around me. I’ve carried that into my life post-graduation, and people still ask me how I have time to do so much — this was especially true when I was a trainee, and working while doing my MSc.

My degree was incredibly fundamental to my career: with the modules I ended up choosing in third and fourth year, I felt as though I had a headstart on everyone else because I already understood a huge proportion of my job before I started. And of course, the problem solving, communication and maths skills were really helpful too.

I’m currently a Radiation Safety Physicist, and I work at Barts Health NHS Trust. Straight after my degree, I got into the NHS Scientist Training Programme (STP) in North London, and this is my first job after completing that and becoming a registered Clinical Scientist.

What I like most about my job, is getting the opportunity to do something which benefits patients, but is still challenging and “mathsy”. I get to travel all around London — testing equipment, auditing, teaching — but if I want a quiet day at my desk, I can have one.

This is genuinely my dream job, and I feel very lucky to have found something that suits me so well.

Another thing which I love and is very important to me, is getting to do Physics outreach at local schools. I want to inspire every young black girl who is interested in Physics but has been discouraged, to keep pursuing it — because it is something that we can do (and be very good at!), and you don’t have to be super geeky or look like your “typical scientist” to find your niche in science.