MSc Clean Technology at Newcastle University 2000-01

I arrived in Newcastle on September 14th 2000 to begin my year away from Canada - to date it has been fantastic! I am studying an MSc in Clean Technology at the University of Newcastle which is a one year course finishing in September. The course has been very different to my five long years as a chemical engineering student but just as rewarding and a lot more fun. After my undergrad, I worked for four years in the oil and gas industry in Calgary as a process engineer. Although things were busy and the work was good, I felt like I wanted to put an environmental twist on my qualifications. The Clean Technology course offered me information on environmental legislation, best practice techniques, waste minimization/management, responsible water use, pollution control, air pollution, environmental law and environmental management. Coupled with my engineering/industrial background I feel I will be able to offer a different service with my degree, one more in accordance with increasing environmental legislation and social responsibility.

Honestly, it hasn't all been hard work. The social side of Newcastle University, the many sports clubs and organizations, offer students plenty of activities to choose from in their spare time. I played on the university firsts women's football team which involved a twice a week commitment to practice and one to two games each week. Hard work but gave me an opportunity to travel around the North and improve my football skills. The city of Newcastle is alive every night of the week and Geordies display a strong commitment to their pub culture. I have visited St. James' Park, home of the premier league Newcastle United Football Club, three times since I've been here and also been to the Stadium of Light in Sunderland once. I enjoy Tynemouth, particularly longsands beach, and find myself there quite often with my friends and visitors. I have visited parts of Hadrian's wall, walked around a Roman fort, driven the coastal/castle route up the North Eastern coastline, traveled across to Holy island, spent a day in Durham and visited Reading in the south of England with a friend from class.

The British Council has done a superb job of trying to make us all feel very welcome away from our home countries. There seems to always be activities available for us to participate in. Rotary club dinners, a reception at city hall and an eventful trip down to the Royal Artillery museum in Leeds are just three of the activities offered this year. While I haven't had an opportunity to participate in the host program for scholars, I have heard excellent reports from other scholars on how great the experience was for them. We get newsletters from the Council keeping us well informed of what is going on, along with much appreciated email reminders on when to set the clocks backward and forward! While being Canadian offered some advantages of a reduced language barrier and fundamental cultural similarities, there were times when I felt the British culture was extremely foreign. I believe the British Council recognizes that foreign visitors will feel that way and do a lot to try to reduce our shock.

I chose to live in university residence in my year here and I believe it was an excellent choice. I made friends instantly with students from all over the globe - I also feel we all understood each other's home sickness a little more than our British friends did. My year in Newcastle has been a wonderful experience that I'm thoroughly grateful I was given the opportunity to have. I'll take back to Canada warm memories, lasting friendships and timely environmental knowledge to apply to Canadian industry.