Hello Chemistry
Meet the Department 14 September 2017
Hello everyone and welcome to the School of Chemistry blog!

I thought I’d start us off with a brief introduction to welcome you all to our brand new blog (soon to be the place to go for all things Chemistry at Manchester!). My name is Ellen Swann and I’ve been working as the Student Experience and Employability Graduate Intern for the School of Chemistry for just over a month now. When I first saw the job description, I have to admit, I wasn’t 100% sure what the job title meant. So I don’t think I’m being insulting when I guess that a lot of you won’t know either. Let me tell you a little bit about it.
There’s a small team of us working in the Education Office in the Chemistry Building. We’re all working on helping students through their studies from when they apply to study here through UCAS to when they graduate. We’re here to support students and answer any queries they may have about course units, exams, timetables or just anything really. We are always available to help so you can contact us whenever you have a problem and we can advise you on how to solve it so you can focus on the important stuff.
Personally, I’ve been here at The University of Manchester since 2014. I first arrived as a fresh-faced Music student and after three years of study, landed this job through Manchester Graduate Talent a graduate job scheme run by the University just for its students! (You might want to take a look at this link if you’re about to graduate). From playing in orchestras and analysing Beethoven scores I’m now spending my days in the Chemistry Building advising chemistry students on careers in science! How, I’m not quite sure. I really don’t know that much about chemistry.

But even though the world of chemistry is a complete mystery to me, I believe that the subject area isn’t the most important thing when it comes to my role. It is the students that matter. Through running careers events, giving application advice, working with ChemSoc and promoting any and all success through the School’s social media accounts, my job is 100% for the students. I will be spending my year making sure they are having the best time whilst at the University of Manchester and ensuring they are prepared for the real world that awaits them.
Hopefully along the way I’ll see what actually goes on in Chemistry, I might even learn a thing or two (you never know!). That is, in part, what this blog will be about. As well as profiling some of our staff and students, finding out what makes them tick and how they got to where they are today, I’ll take you with me as I try and find out more about how Chemistry works at Manchester and all the goings on at the University. I hope you’ll come along and enjoy the learning process. And if there’s anything you think I should know, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me.
Thanks for reading!
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