Intern - Environment Agency
Travelling to the University of Nottingham from my home country, Nigeria, was a fantastic experience for me. From the scenery at the University Park campus where I was based, to well-experienced academics, a good support network from my supervisors and personal tutor and building good relationships with my MSc colleagues whom I’ve worked with on different projects. For me, this experience has been a springboard for a successful engineering career.
What did you do when you graduated?
After graduation, I secured a very competitive scholarship from the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) towards a PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Nottingham. My research, under the supervision of one of my MSc supervisors at Nottingham, focused on decontaminating petroleum polluted soils using microwave heating. This is to contribute towards solving the land contamination problem, impacting over 31 million inhabitants of Nigeria’s Niger Delta with over 10 million barrels of oil spillages.
Where did your career take you next?
During my PhD, I had the opportunity to gain relevant work experience and further develop my skillset via some temporary roles. I demonstrated laboratory experiments for chemical and environmental engineering undergraduates, worked as a research assistant on two projects, supported students with additional learning needs to help them achieve their career goals and I also represented the academic interests of postgraduates in my research group at the Student Union Education Network and the Faculty of Engineering. I won the 3-Minute Thesis (3MT) competition at both faculty and university levels and went on to represent the university at national and international 3MT competitions.
Where are you working now?
I’m an Intern at the Environment Agency.
What's your favourite thing about your job?
My passion over the years has been to use engineering principles to solve environmental problems. My internship with the Environment Agency has allowed me to have some hands-on experience of this. What excites me most about the role is that I get to see how what I do each day contributes to protecting the environment, people, and wildlife. Additionally, participating in the 3MT competition allowed me to advocate for the environment by simplifying and presenting my research concisely and engagingly to a non-expert audience.
How did your time at university help shape your career?
During my Environmental Engineering MSc at the University of Nottingham, I developed a strong understanding and an appreciation for chemical and environmental engineering research and design - through modules like Accelerated Design Training and the MSc Project, which comprise both research and design. Aside from the state-of-the-art learning facilities at the University, the module convenors had good knowledge and experience of the industry and were able to link classroom learning with real applications in the industry. I always appreciate the learning process that bridges the gap between theory and practice, and I got that at the University of Nottingham.
What has your University of Nottingham experience meant to you?
Travelling to the University of Nottingham from my home country, Nigeria, was a fantastic experience for me. From the scenery at the University Park campus where I was based, to well-experienced academics, a good support network from my supervisors and personal tutor and building good relationships with my MSc colleagues whom I’ve worked with on different projects. For me, this experience has been a springboard for a successful engineering career.
What did you enjoy about your social time here?
The University’s chaplaincy was instrumental in helping me to settle well on campus and build upon my faith as a Christian through events like Globe Café and the International Discipleship Group and helping me to find local churches where I can worship. Additionally, it provided the opportunity to meet other international and home students and learn about their cultures which further built my network. I also went on weekend-away trips within the UK where I learned more about life in the UK which made a lot of difference in my social life at Nottingham.
Aside from the state-of-the-art learning facilities at the University, the module convenors had good knowledge and experience of the industry and were able to link classroom learning with real applications in the industry. I always appreciate the learning process that bridges the gap between theory and practice, and I got that at the University of Nottingham.
What happened next?
Diret went on to do a PhD at the University of Nottingham on how microwave heating can be used to help clean petroleum contamination from the Niger delta, which impacts over 31m people. In January 2024, Diret won an international competition to be named the People’s Choice winner at the Universitas21 Global Three Minute Thesis (U21 3MT®) competition. This brings doctoral students from around the world together to present a three-minute version of their thesis online, to get straight to the heart of their research and communicate clearly to an international audience. View his winning presentation: Hope for The Environment: Microwave Heating.