Name: Parisa Pordelkhaki

1. What is your home university, what department and lab are you in?

University of Birmingham – School of Chemical Engineering

2. What type of studentship are you on? CASE, iCASE, etc.

MIBTP

3. How did you organise your accommodation for the first year?

I commuted and did not change accommodation.

4. How did you manage commuting to UoW for the first term?

It is not hard to manage as you have the timetable in advance.

5. How did you organise your mini-projects?

First, I contacted few lecturers in Leicester for my Mini-Project 1 and no one replied my emails except the one that I was least interested in. Then I contacted my PhD supervisor and he suggested a few research areas that would strengthen my skills for the PhD program and gave me contact details of the PIs in those areas at UoW. I emailed the three of them and they replied my emails very quickly and I chose the one I found most interesting. 5 months from the date I sent the emails to those at UoL , I had a reply apologising for the delay and wished me luck. 😊 For my second Mini-project my PhD supervisor offered me a project once I asked him.

6. How did you organise your PIPS?

I contacted UoB Enterprise from the list provided on MIBTP website as I found what they do very important for any scientist. I contacted them and they were very welcoming.

7. Is there anything you wished you'd known before you started?

I think the information provided on the website and handbook is very clear and useful.