Christopher Woods MSc AMES Bioengineering

Hi, I'm Christopher Woods and I studied MSc AMES Bioengineering within Engineering and the Environment at the University of Southampton.

I really enjoyed my project and the industrial link was also important for me as it gave another dimension to the whole experience.

What made you decide to take the course?

I wanted to work in the field of bioengineering. Having a master’s level qualification with a specialisation in bioengineering would give me a very strong foothold in a competitive employment market.

Why did you choose to come to Southampton?

Southampton had a constantly high (UK top 5) league table position for engineering. Moreover, the university has an international reputation in the field of bioengineering and, more specifically, orthopaedics.

What have you enjoyed most about your course?

Learning the fundamentals of orthopaedic biomechanics from a syllabus derived from research carried out at the university. Also, using the wide range of mechanical and computational test equipment made available through the universities strong research orientation.

What are you lecturers and tutors like? Have you found them supportive?

All of the lecturers are highly knowledgeable in their subject areas. Some lecturers were able to provide high levels of support and encouraged further discussion and research in their subject area. However, other lecturers could have been more student focused, whereby module quality occasionally suffered as a result. My experience of personal supervision during my individual project was one of the highlights of the year. My supervisor was not only very competent and helpful, but also took a real interest in my personal development, helping me bridge the gap between education and employment.

What are the teaching facilities like here?

From a practical, engineering, perspective the facilities are great. The university has a fully functional workshop, materials testing laboratory and biolab that are available for student use. The university has a world leading CT suite and supercomputer, also available for student use. The lecturing facilities are similar to those I have experienced at other universities.

What do you think of the other facilities on campus?

The facilities are all well located on a single campus. There is a gym, swimming pool, courts (various), bar, restaurant, café and many other facilities all on one site. The facilities are all very popular; therefore planning your usage to avoid peak times is advised. The campus also has an extremely popular weekly food market that comes once a week and provides fresh, cheap and convenient produce.

Have you undertaken a project as part of your course?

Yes.

If yes what did you have to do and have you enjoyed it?

My project required me to assess the mechanical properties of a novel implant design using laboratory testing procedures to mimic in vivo loading. My project was sponsored by an external company who were developing the concept into a commercially available product. The project was a particularly enjoyable part of my degree as it was an opportunity to implement much of the engineering theory that I had learned over the previous years. The industrial link was also important for me as it gave another dimension to the whole experience.

How do you think your project will help you in your future career?

I am now employed by the university and the company that sponsored my project to continue to develop the implant design. Therefore, my individual project has been exceptionally useful as it has directly secured my postgraduate employment.

What are your career plans after you’ve completed the course?

I plan to continue developing the implant concept for my employers at the university and the company for the next couple of years. After that, I intend on progressing professionally within the field of orthopaedic bioengineering, possibly continuing with product development or project management.