I completed my third year by studying abroad at Binghamton University, New York State. Binghamton is located in the thick, forested countryside that is famed during peak fall months.  

Choosing to study abroad

Although Bath has an excellent placement scheme, I wanted to explore a different part of the world at the same time as conducting research. Naturally, the study abroad option was a golden ticket for me. Over the year I studied at Binghamton, I had the most incredible opportunities. These ranged from conducting research under a Clarivate Citation Laureate for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry - Dr M. Stanley Whittingham - to learning to snowboard. The flexible and diverse nature of the study abroad program gave me the means to make my year abroad everything it could be. 

Building confidence and gaining skills

Having free access to a university in a completely different part of the world gave me the right environment to push my confidence. It is difficult to name all of the skills and experiences I’ve gained on my year abroad, but some of the best were applying the chemistry I've learnt at Bath to the most alien of problems in my research, making friends of different nationalities and languages, and road-tripping across America for spring break.

I am a strong advocate for the study abroad program. It is excellent for students looking to broaden their horizons, experience different cultures, and deepen their knowledge of their chosen subject. I left America never wanting to leave but I'm looking to the future as an exciting prospect.