Personal Statement:Natural Sciences 17

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

It is a well known fact that we rely on fossil fuels for around 80% of our global energy needs, an even wider known fact that this will not last indefinitely. The search for alternatives therefore is a truly necessary one, and it is a search I want to be a part of. This is why I'm applying for Natural Sciences.

One of the things that attracted me to Durham is the research carried out by Durham’s Energy Institute for fracking operations of shale gas. While I believe this process has potential for increasing the rate of production of shale gas and oil, the consequences can be disastrous. The research carried out by the DEI into finding a safe minimum distance between fracking operations and drinking aquifers could ultimately save lives, and it is my dream to carry out research like this that is going to make a difference in today’s energy crisis. The natural science course at Durham allows me to not only specialise in a sector that I love, but gain a broader foundation to allow me to better understand the current issues surrounding Britain's energy problems. For example, the petroleum geophysics module will give me a better understanding about the geology of the Marvellus Shale layer of the earth’s core crust is crucial to extracting the source of energy located there.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

My desire to pursue a career in science was reinforced by my extended project, in which I have set out to demonstrate the basic principles of hovercraft flight by building my own. The project has given me invaluable experience in completing an assignment individually, and as part of my research I obtained a meeting and private tour from the co-founder and executive director of the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial hovercraft, Griffon Hoverwork. I learnt a lot that day and it helped me realise use of various scientific theories in real world applications.

I enjoy reading a variety of relevant literature in my spare time, including “In Search of Schrödinger’s Cat” and “Physics of the Impossible,” but my main passion was found in “Sustainable Energy: Without the hot air” by David Mackay. He uses transparent mathematics to explain in detail the extent UK’s energy crisis, but also covers all the main sustainable alternatives to create a compelling read. There is a section on efficiency of various transport modes which I find particularly exciting, and maps the efficiency of each to come up with some surprising conclusions.

I have always found it intriguing how real life situations can not only be mapped by mathematical concepts, but can help us predict and explain the phenomena that are happening all around us. I regularly expand my mathematics knowledge outside of college; I attended an AimHigher mathematics master-class and have represented both my schools on two occasions for the team UKMT mathematics challenge, as well as achieving best in school for the individual competition. These have enabled me to not only further develop my proven problem solving skills, but also expand my knowledge outside of the usual A-level syllabus.

Last February I was given the opportunity to shadow a 3rd year student studying natural sciences for 3 days. While I was mostly lost in the lecture on Taylor's theorem for multifunctional polynomials, I found myself captivated and even answering certain questions to myself in her thermodynamics lecture. It gave me a valuable insight into life studying natural sciences at university and confirmed my decision to take this as my degree.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

In whatever free time I have outside of my studies, you will find me keeping active. I am an avid football player; I have previously represented both my previous school's football teams, 2 Sunday league teams and I still enjoy organising a weekly 5-a-side team for a local tournament. Not content with football, I was also a member of the Southampton Diving Academy, and placed in numerous springboard diving competitions before deciding to devote my time to my studies. I do however love being in the water, and so last summer I gained my open water diving certificate, and have since been on 6 dives around the world. I have always been amazed by the world beneath our oceans, and to be able to explore that little piece of the ocean that possibly nobody else has been before greatly excites me. My diving and active lifestyle is a talisman of my personality, I am enthusiastic, adventurous, and I am never afraid to explore new challengers, and to be a successful scientist I believe such qualities are essential.

How personal statements have changed?

The current personal statement format, with three 'scaffolding' questions, was introduced by Ucas in September 2025. This personal statement was submitted before then, using the old essay-style format. It has been carefully edited into the three-question format, with all of the original wording kept.

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