Dr Irina Boiarkina
Irina took her skills further with a PhD in Chemical and Materials Engineering and was a Research Fellow in the department.
“I chose the University of Auckland for postgraduate study because while I enjoyed working in industry, I wanted to do more in-depth study. I had also worked with my PhD supervisor previously, and I knew that having the right supervisor is very important.
“My PhD supervisor was always interested in my research and progress, which was a good motivator. He was also quick at helping resolve issues, at both administrative and research levels, which made it much easier to advance my research. In general, the whole Chemical and Materials Engineering Department was very supportive, and there was always someone to consult for advice in different areas. The people you work with can really enhance the experience for you.
“A PhD is full-time work, and it wouldn’t have been possible for me to do it without monetary support from the University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarship. Since finishing my PhD, I’ve been working as a post-doc, albeit in a different area. However, the wider skills that I gained in analysis, experimentation and modelling have all translated into the different topic seamlessly.”