Louise Otter BEng Civil Engineering
PhD Geotechnical Engineering, University of Southampton
Hi, I'm Louise Otter and I studied BEng Civil Engineering within Engineering and the Environment at the University of Southampton.
Outside of the faculty, the university has extremely good sport facilities and I have been an active member of the university choir and also made extremely welcome in the local church. The University has an extremely good community feel with all facilities in easy walking distance.
What did you enjoy about the course?
A Civil Engineering course was a natural choice for me as I enjoy both maths and science and also the practical aspects of the subject. This was reinforced within the course with laboratory classes complimenting the lectures throughout. The course, although demanding, gave an extremely strong broad base of knowledge which appeals to a wide range of employers. Tailored within the modules are the skills fundamental to succeeding as an Engineer in the workplace. This was emphasized during the second year, when a group design project was undertaken that not only brought knowledge from all modules together, but focused on time management, communication and fundamentally, teamwork.
What’s Southampton like as a place to be a student?
Outside of the faculty, the university has extremely good sport facilities and I have been an active member of the university choir and also made extremely welcome in the local church. The University has an extremely good community feel with all facilities in easy walking distance.
Tell us about your current job
Having recently completed a BEng Civil Engineering degree at the University of Southampton, I decided to stay within the faculty to undertake a PhD in Geotechnics. The PhD will investigate the effects of partial saturation on the strength and resilient modulus of subgrade materials.
What advice would you give to a student starting out on a Civil Engineering degree at Southampton?
Work hard, attend all lectures and organise your workload. Also get involved in university clubs and societies; through this I formed strong friendships and learnt skills in new areas.
Why did you choose Civil Engineering at Southampton?
I chose Southampton University and Civil Engineering and the Environment as both have an outstanding reputation and I found the staff extremely friendly and approachable. The quality of teaching is very good and importantly, no question is seen as too trivial. The department has supported, pushed and taught me the skills to reach my full potential.