For Christina, a long-held obsession with space made the MPhys Physics with Astronomy the perfect choice, without limiting her career options.
I’ve always been fascinated by space
From primary school onwards I was fascinated by the mysteries of space, and later black holes. I chose to study at Southampton because it has an amazing physics and astronomy programme. With interesting modules and lots of additional astronomy facilities and opportunities, it was exactly what I was looking for.
We got real observatory experience in Tenerife
My favourite part of the course was the second-year trip to the Teide Observatory in Tenerife. We did a week of practical observations using optical and infrared telescopes involving both solar and night-time observations.
It was a fantastic opportunity to do my own research and take my own data. I also got to try something new and put my knowledge to use by designing a telescope for active galactic nuclei (supermassive black holes).
It felt great to be among the top 12 astronomy students selected to go. The competition is tough, so I was proud to be in that group.
A sense of community
I got involved in the Badminton Club, which was really good fun and a lovely community to be part of. A physics degree is intense, so playing badminton was a good way to let off steam.
We went on a ‘summer tour’ trip to the Isle of Wight where we did hiking, archery, swimming and other activities. Being on the club’s committee and helping organise the trip was good experience in planning and budgeting, and I made so many friends that I’m still in touch with today.
I’m now a portfolio manager
After my degree I secured a place on Vodafone’s graduate programme, and I’m currently on my third rotation there. I’ve worked in data solutions, advanced analytics, and I’m now a junior portfolio manager, which I absolutely love.
It involves helping manage all of our important dashboards and reports, for areas like HR and finance. I work with stakeholders and customers to establish what data and features they need and who needs access. It’s very busy, but I’m really enjoying it.
I’ve used the coding and analysis skills I gained during my degree, as well as the research side of physics. It taught me how to break things down, find out what is needed and why, and how to get there, which is incredibly useful professionally.
It’s a versatile degree
If you’re thinking about what to study, remember that doing physics doesn’t just lead to jobs in physics and engineering. You can shape it towards what you want to do, and it can open so many doors for you.
