"I came into higher education through a non-traditional background, so studying at Plymouth opened a host of new possibilities for me. It allowed my curiosity to flourish and I could pursue my interest in human biology. Both my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees prepared me well for life after graduation.
"During my undergraduate degree, I became fascinated by the complexity and ubiquitousness of the immune system, so when I graduated I wanted to continue my exploration of immune cell function, combined with my background in dentistry. I enrolled on a PhD programme to investigate immune cell function in oral disease."
"I have been fortunate enough to progress in the academic field. After completing the PhD, I became a lecturer in biomedical sciences, where I continue to pursue my research interests. Here, I am also involved with design and delivery of the dentistry programmes, and supervise several PhD students.
"To work in research, you have to have a good foundation of knowledge in your chosen field. When I graduated, I had the relevant knowledge base, and I gained the invaluable transferable skills, such as presentation, communication, networking, and analytical skills, needed for a career in academia."