Alumni Profile: Nisshanth Raj Dharmaraj
Chemistry in the real world Student experience 6 July 2020
Nisshanth Raj Dharmaraj graduated from the MChem (Hons) Chemistry with International Study programme in 2019. Since graduating he has taken on a role at Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre, where he is working as a Deposition Coordinator.
Nissh has been reflecting on his time at Manchester and telling us more about his current job in the post below.
What did you enjoy most about your course?
I enjoyed my third year abroad at the University of Valencia, where I got to meet and build relationships with new people. I also undertook a research project in organic chemistry which got published in April 2019. I also enjoyed my final year project in computational chemistry.
And the wider University?
I loved the facilities available to students as well as the students union. I also enjoyed the diversity and got a very international feel just from the Main Campus alone.
What are your thoughts on Manchester as a city?
Very international and reminds me of a compressed version of London (also very cheap). There are lot of great places to eat and go out.
Can you tell us a little about your career post-University, and the role you are in now?
I am currently working as a Deposition Coordinator at CCDC who compile and distribute the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD). CSD is the world’s repository for small-molecule organic and metal-organic crystal structures. The role involves managing the CSD by adding/updating publications and allowing users to access the data for research or refereeing purposes.
To a certain extent, the role involves applying some knowledge of chemistry. However, this role has given me a greater insight into the different career paths you can take in science (i.e. research, technical, and commercial) as there is also a software development, business development, and materials science team.
What would you say to someone considering coming to Manchester to study?
While it is a prestigious university, you fit in straight away and you get a great study/social life balance. And of course, it has one of, if not, the best careers service, so you can get plenty of help and support when applying for internships and (graduate) jobs.
…And outside University, what do you get up to in your spare time?
Bass guitar and cooking.
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