Welcome to UoM!
Departments UOM life 17 August 2017
Congratulations! You’ve survived the stress and fervour of A-level results day. The nerves, the worry, the knots in the stomach – they’ve all been worth it to secure your place in the Faculty of Science and Engineering at The University of Manchester.
And now the fun really begins. Welcome to a city of creativity, a university of discovery, a Faculty of innovation.
Heading to university is a huge step for anyone, especially when you’ll be upping sticks and relocating to a big new city. Fortunately Manchester – and the University in particular – has a fantastic reputation for welcoming new faces.
We can help you fulfil your potential in science and engineering. This is a place where you’ll find a special drive and togetherness – one built on a history of progress and reinvention.
Standing on the shoulders of giants…
No, we’re not talking about the album by swaggering Manchester band Oasis (though that is quite a relevant link, don’t you think?). We’re talking about the fact that Manchester is steeped in history and scientific discovery.
As you may or may not know, it was here that Ernest Rutherford, the man known as ‘the father of nuclear physics’, first split the atom. It was here that Alan Turing, ‘the man who cracked the Enigma code’ (and who was so memorably portrayed by another University of Manchester graduate – and all-round heartthrob and superstar – Benedict Cumberbatch in The Imitation Game), pioneered artificial intelligence.
More recently in 2010, the University’s scientists Andre Geim and Kostya Novoselov won the Nobel Prize in Physics for their work in isolating the properties of graphene. This is a wonder material with the potential to revolutionise our everyday lives.
Speaking of the Nobel Prize, did you know that we have a total of 25 Nobel laureates among our current and former staff and students? Could you be the next?
Of course, the University is also home to a certain Professor Brian Cox. The TV star and former D:Ream keyboardist is a Professor of Particle Physics in the Faculty’s School of Physics and Astronomy and completed his Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree and PhD here. Don’t be surprised if you see him strolling around campus.
World-leading facilities
One of the first things you’ll notice at the University is its scale. The Faculty of Science and Engineering alone is comprised of nine separate schools, each playing host to a range of world-leading facilities, packed full of the latest technology and specialist equipment to give you the best learning experience possible.
For instance, the instantly recognisable (some might even say iconic) Jodrell Bank Observatory is part of our School of Physics and Astronomy, and also home to the “best geeky festival ever” Bluedot.
Our School of Mathematics students, meanwhile, are based in the wonderful Alan Turing Building, which was completed in 2007. Much of its design was based on suggestions made by our own staff and students.
You’ll find lots of computer clusters, study spaces, cafes and outdoor green spaces dotted around campus to study, meet friends and hang out. And our favourite place? The famous Sackville Street Building, where you can pretend you’re a student at Hogwarts (just trust us on this). Inside is the impressive Joule Library, filled to the rafters with all the books you could ever need on science, engineering and technology.
We do things differently here…
One of the most appealing aspects of studying here, of course, is the opportunity to live in a city as multicultural, as inclusive – essentially as friendly – as this one. Manchester is a thriving city, buzzing with industry and creativity (we are worker bees, after all).
Love The Smiths? Joy Division? The Stone Roses? Then you’re a fan of Manchester music. And that’s not to mention all of the great new bands coming through like Cabbage.
You’ll find a fantastic nightlife here; the Northern Quarter is packed full of great bars, with new ones springing up seemingly non-stop (at least two will have probably opened during the writing of this post) and there are drinking holes for every taste across the city, just waiting to be discovered.
And if you want to rave until dawn, Manchester’s got you covered here too. There’s always something going on at our Oxford Road Students’ Union, and there’re clubs all over the city to cater to every musical genre.
If you’re a fan of sport, it doesn’t get much better than Manchester. The city’s two major football clubs, United and City, are among the very best in the country – perhaps the world, depending on your view.
Footie not your thing? Well, we embrace every sport imaginable here. For example, Sportcity is dedicated to football, cycling and athletics, and we’ve also got the National Cycling and Aquatics Centres, both built for the Commonwealth Games in 2002. The latter is part of the University and is just one of our many brilliant sports facilities. Others include the Sugden Sports Centre just off Oxford Road, and the Armitage Sports Centre, which is a stone’s throw away for anyone living in Fallowfield.
Enjoy, and make the most of it!
With the madness of A-level results day out of the way, it’s time to take a deep breath, sit back, relax and start thinking about the exciting times ahead. University can be a wonderful time in your life and, with the excellent track record of our Faculty’s graduates in securing employment quickly, will lay the perfect foundation for a successful, rewarding career. We look forward to meeting you!
Words – Joe Shervin