Name: Jack Bowyer

Graduation year: 2018

A bit about me:

- Before starting my PhD at the School of Engineering I spent a year tutoring and working out if I really wanted to do a PhD. I had previously spent 4 years at the University of Reading completing my MMath master’s degree in mathematics.

Why I chose Warwick for my doctorate:

- In a strange way, Warwick chose me. I had begun enquiring into PhD opportunities at the University of Exeter, and half way through the application process my would-be supervisor explained that he was moving to Warwick and proposed that I applied for a PhD with him there instead. I accepted the offer almost immediately as I was well aware that Warwick has one of the best reputations outside Oxbridge, especially with regards to postgraduate study.

- Warwick was actually my first choice university for undergraduate study, but I didn’t quite manage to get the grades. The opportunity to study somewhere that I’d always held in high regard made the decision even easier.

What I liked best about my time at Warwick:

- Meeting so many interesting and intelligent people that I befriended over the course of my PhD.

- Carrying out brand new research and collaborating with brilliant scientists at Warwick and overseas.

- The opportunity to travel to so many amazing countries that I probably would never have seen otherwise.

- The satisfaction of producing a thesis that represents probably the most important and challenging work of my life.

After completing my doctorate:

- I am now working as a postdoctoral research fellow at Warwick, continuing the research from my PhD.

If I could time travel, what advice would I give my younger self, when starting a PhD at Warwick?

- Not everything has to be done in a day, take the time to read as much as possible and reproduce known results at your own pace.

If you were to describe your time at Warwick in just 3 words, what would they be?

- Rewarding

- Challenging

- Enjoyable