Dr Laura Wheatley: from academia to industry

Dr Wheatley smiling - this is a still from the film

Taken from the film by United Kingdom Mission to the UN Vienna

"I was the only person from my school to go to Oxford ....".

Dr Laura Wheatley

United Kingdom Mission to the UN Vienna has made an excellent film* featuring alumna Dr Laura Wheatley, who is now working at the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Laura attended a state comprehensive in the Midlands before joining this department to read Materials Science and then going on to achieve a DPhil doctorate with us. Although studying at Oxford hadn't been on her horizon for most of her school years, Laura explains in the film that once she joined us "the opportunities opened up". Laura enjoyed her time in Oxford, and has some advice for anyone who thinks studying here might be difficult:

"... remember all the challenges that you've managed to get through previously, and try to remind yourself what you have achieved [already] ..... you'll be able to get there".

We also particularly like Laura's advice to anyone applying for a new job or just starting out with their career:

"... to anyone out there who thinks they don't tick all the boxes and can't get the job - just apply anyway. You're not going to lose out".

*You can watch the film on YouTube: From UK academia to working at the International Atomic Energy Agency - Dr Laura Wheatley' by United Kingdom Mission to the UN Vienna.