Noam Obermeister, MSc Environment, Politics and Society

Noam now works for a major EU fund helping universities bring innovative research ideas to life. He shares insights into his career journey, his experience at UCL, and advice for students considering a similar path.

What are you doing now, and what does a typical day look like for you?

“I work for an EU fund that is focused on supporting innovation in universities and other higher education institutions.

“Not all universities have the means or capacity to support researchers with ideas they want to commercialise; this fund is here to help with that.

“A typical day varies, as we are a small team managing many aspects of the work. I principally act as an adviser to the head of the initiative. The work is quite political but also engaging.

“Before this job, I was designing and running policy simulations and educational games on sustainability issues. That was a lot of fun.”

What led you to study MSc Environment, Politics and Society at UCL?

“I was drawn to geography in my BA at King’s College London. But I was frustrated in my international politics degree that there weren’t enough courses on environmental issues and ended up maxing out the amount of geography modules I could take.

“I fell in love with the interdisciplinary approach in the geography mindset and ended up not only doing the MSc at UCL, but also a PhD in Geography after that!”

Was there a particular highlight of your time on the course?

“Several. Really interesting lectures, great colleagues from many different walks of life, a memorable site visit, socials.

“No one moment or story stands out, but that’s because the quality of my experience was really high across the board.”

How has your time at UCL shaped what you do now?

“I think the multidisciplinary and multicultural aspects of my experience at UCL have definitely followed me in my career.

“I’ve only worked in international environments since then, and can’t imagine having it any other way.

“The quality of the education was also top tier and it was a formative experience that solidified my thinking on what to focus on next in my PhD.”

Do you have any advice for current or prospective students interested in this area?

“Well… First off, don’t slack! The more you put in, the more you’ll get out of it.

“At Masters level, you really feel treated like a peer, which is great, but it’s also something you’ve got to earn and maintain.

“Secondly, try to take this opportunity to expand your thinking as much as possible. Geography and programmes like this MSc are excellent in promoting both systems and critical thinking.

“If you are able to think both critically and systemically, it will really help you professionally. I would say to not hesitate to highlight that aspect of interdisciplinarity at every turn.”