The first stop was the 5th IMA and OR Society Conference on Mathematics of Operational Research, a small and intimate event with a strong applied focus. I was especially grateful for the supportive atmosphere – it made sharing my work with the wider community for the first time feel a lot less daunting!

Shortly after, I travelled to Leeds for the 50th anniversary of the EURO conference, which was a completely different experience. This event, being much larger in scale, allowed me to attend a range of technical talks, allowing me to dive deeper into the theory behind my work and attend talks closely aligned with my research niche. It was also a real highlight to reconnect with some of the friendly faces I met at the IMA.

Overall, it’s been wonderful to start sharing my research and meeting fellow academics from my field and beyond.

My first few months of the program have been about re-immersing myself in the academic world, absorbing knowledge, collaborating with my new peers, and uncovering areas that ignite my curiosity and align with my values to lay a solid foundation for my future PhD. Beyond acquiring theoretical knowledge, I’m excited about the practical applications of this program. I anticipate gaining invaluable hands-on experience, bridging the gap between theory and practice.