Matthew graduated in 2021 with a MSc Environmental Geochemistry and in 2019 with a BSc (Hons) Applied Geology
Graduate success - Matthew Cundell
MSc Environmental Geochemistry graduate Matthew talks about his time studying at the University
The teaching is of excellent quality by staff who are thoroughly knowledgeable in their subjects and who are actively researching these areas.
The teaching is of excellent quality by staff who are thoroughly knowledgeable in their subjects and who are actively researching these areas.
I’m born and raised in Plymouth; it was a no brainer to go to a University that was right on my doorstep! Considering my masters, the nearest location with a similar course was either St. Andrews or Leeds…quite a distance away! I was fortunate enough to know the course leader of my masters in Plymouth too – they had taught me during my integrated foundation course and we shared similar academic interests – I knew I was in good hands.
When I started University in 2015, I knew I liked geology, but I wasn’t sure which part of it. Studying at Plymouth gave me opportunity to specialise in geochemistry and what I was interested in academically.
My fondest memory of academic support was the check in meetings during my dissertation periods, where push really comes to shove during the course. They were a great opportunity to catch up my advisors and receive feedback for any writing I had completed.
I spent countless hours in the library throughout my university life, especially during exam season, where my coursemates and myself would book out the library study rooms to revise together. Not only did I take part in PALS , a student-to-student peer support scheme, I also signed up for the role as well during my second year of University. Both of these services on campus gave me the space and the opportunity to do my best at university and provided me with new skills.
During my undergraduate degree, one of my favourite memories, was the endless hours I spent in the library going through Stratigraphy topics with my coursemates and when we had that “OOHHH!” moment when something clicked.
I undertook the placement as part of my masters which involved data analysis and interpretative plot production on geochemical monitoring data from a mine water treatment plant. Short term, this fuelled my love for using excel and producing something useful from datasets; long term, this inspired me to want to work within the mining industry in something related to geochemistry.
My placement during my masters was the most inspiring aspect of my studies because it gave me the opportunity to talk and work with people in industry. I was able to apply my knowledge and skills in a practical approach and network too.
Plymouth has given me the academic and technical skills, and life knowledge about where my course could take me in the future and has given me the opportunity to network with employers who I could be working for in the future – very prepared indeed!
The teaching is of excellent quality by staff who are thoroughly knowledgeable in their subjects and who are actively researching these areas. The support services I used were very helpful and, even through COVID over my masters, I still felt supported in my studies.
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