Tell us more about what you studied at UCL
I studied BA Geography with Social Data Science, which is a multidisciplinary degree that combines courses in human geography with training in data science. My family and friends are often surprised by my slightly unusual selection of modules, from technical courses in statistics and machine learning to theory-heavy classes in geopolitics and development geography. I very much enjoyed this multidisciplinarity of my degree, as it offered a unique opportunity to learn, practice, and reflect on a diverse range of research methods. I also appreciated the flexibility of the programme, especially in the final two years, for allowing my curiosities and interests to guide my studies.
How did you find it coming to UCL as an international student?
It can be as nerve-wracking as it is exciting to go through such major life changes. I arrived in London alone without knowing any friends who were also joining UCL, so I was worried that I would feel out of place and homesick. However, the wonderful people I met in my first few weeks through UCL society events really helped me settle in smoothly! I was particularly lucky to meet an amazing group of friends at one of the events, and we all happened to live close by. I look back fondly upon the fun times I’ve spent cooking Asian food with them and talking the night away.
What are your best memories from your time at UCL?
As mundane as it may sound, the many hours I’ve spent in the common room of the Geography Department are some of my best memories on campus. Whether I was working, chatting, and eating lunch with friends, or catching up with my tutor, these day-to-day moments made my campus experience so special!
Another highlight was joining the UCL Social Data Institute (SODA) Internship Program over the summer after second year. I had the privilege of working in the City Intelligence Unit of the Greater London Authority to assist with the analysis of the London Wellbeing and Sustainability Measure – a multidimensional tool created in response to the Mayor of London’s 2021 Manifesto. This was a fantastic opportunity to apply some of the quantitative skills I obtained from my degree and observe their practical application in public policy.
Last but certainly not least, receiving the 2024 Faculty Medal in Social and Historical Sciences was a huge surprise and a wonderful highlight. It’s such an honour to be awarded this prestigious recognition to conclude my studies at UCL. Receiving the Faculty Medal feels like a stroke of serendipity. I was very fortunate to have met such inspiring friends, mentors, and lecturers, who were the reasons why I genuinely enjoyed my degree and felt motivated to strive for excellence!
What are you most proud of from your time at UCL?
I’m most proud of what I accomplished in my undergraduate dissertation. I analysed MPs’ attitudes toward refugees using Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques on large-scale speech data from the UK House of Commons. My dissertation was an amalgamation of many of my diverse interests, so I found the process of synthesising knowledge from different disciplines (e.g. geopolitics, linguistics, machine learning) to be enjoyable and satisfying. The more I read from different disciplines and the more datasets I’ve analysed, the closer I felt to achieving a systematic and unique analysis of the complexities of politicians’ stances on refugees in the UK. It was a particularly rewarding experience to see how my research fills the literature gap and fits into the broader academic puzzle.
I was also very pleasantly surprised and honoured to be awarded the 2024 Best Dissertation Prize in Social Data Science (Q-Step). This wouldn’t have been possible without my primary supervisor, Dr. Stephen Law, and my interim supervisor, Dr. Justin van Dijk. I’m deeply grateful for their tremendous support and guidance!
What are your next plans and how do you think that being a UCL student helped you get there?
I’m continuing my studies at the University of Oxford to pursue an MSc in Social Data Science through a fully funded scholarship. I never would’ve been presented with such an exciting opportunity if it hadn’t been for my incredible peers and mentors at UCL, who helped me build confidence in my abilities and discover my interests. It is a really bittersweet feeling to conclude my studies at UCL, but I very much look forward to seeing what the next chapter has in store for me!