Why did you choose to study Mathematics at Bristol?

When I applied for my PhD in 2011, I received several offers with funding from some of the top UK universities due to my Bristol background.

I chose Bristol because there are lots of top professors here, including Fellows of the Royal Society, and the academic staff are engaged in research – the number of top papers, presentations, prizes and fellowships produced/won by them is quite staggering.

How much flexibility is there in your programme?

You can choose whatever you want to learn in Mathematics based on your personal case. Of course, your mentor and course director will give you some advice after discussing your undergrad experience and long-term plan.

Since my undergrad study was related to mathematics and applied mathematics, I chose more units about probability and statistics for my postgrad study, which was really helpful to my PhD study now.

What are the staff like?

They are really kind and enthusiastic. No matter what your questions, you can easily contact staff by email. There are weekly activities in the school as well where you can chat with them.

How does postgrad study differ from undergrad life?

The largest difference is the depth and breadth of the course. Moreover, there are more opportunities to do cutting-edge research, which means more time spent reading the latest papers rather than fundamental books.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking about this programme?

If you love mathematics, the mathematics programme at Bristol University is one of the best programmes in the UK. Of course, you need to prepare yourself for tough study. It might take a lot of time and effort to get where you want to be, but I’d say all that time was spent wisely.

What are your plans for the future?

Now I am a second-year PhD student, the most important plan in the following year is to focus on my research. After finishing my PhD study, I hope to continue my research at Bristol University or at another university.