Louise Duncan, Oceanographer

I enrolled on the foundation year at Plymouth University after completing my A-levels in physics, chemistry and geography. At this time I did not possess the level of mathematics required to start a mathematics or engineering degree. I chose the foundation course at Plymouth due to the good reputation of the engineering departments involved with the course and the fact it provided the solid grounding in maths (and physics if necessary) required to begin a diverse range of degree courses available at Plymouth or elsewhere.

After successfully completing the foundation year I chose to study for a degree in mathematics. I experienced no problems in the transition from foundation year to degree. The maths course provided good coverage of pure and applied mathematics, with plenty of options to choose from, including statistics modules and minor pathways. I particularly enjoyed the final year project, choosing a particular area of mathematics to explore in more detail with some independent study. This was a very rewarding part of the course. As well as the mathematics knowledge gained from the degree, other skills such as writing, presenting and researching have been particularly useful. Since completing the degree I have been required to call various aspects of mathematics covered by the course including the programming skills gained through the numerical analysis modules.

I graduated in 1998 with a first class honours in mathematics. Currently I work at Southampton Oceanography Centre as a research assistant in the area of Ocean Circulation and Climate Variability. I have been in my current position for over four years and enjoy the variety and challenges that each day brings in the centre or at sea. My maths background has provided an excellent base required for oceanography research (maths/physics graduates are much sought after in this area of research).