Imperial College gives exclusive talk to WHS students • Wimbledon High School GDST

Last week we welcomed Dr Nessa Carey and Dr Mahsa Samadi from Imperial College London to Wimbledon High to talk with students in Years 10-13 about the different career paths available in the sciences, advice on choosing the right university course – and an exclusive look at a brand new degree being developed at Imperial College!

Millie in Year 12 said: “As a Year 12 who does Biology, Chemistry, and Maths, I was interested in this talk to discover more about the career paths that STEM has. I learned that it isn’t just limited to Medicine, Environmental science, or Research, but that there is a plethora of fields that you can go into.

Dr Nessa Carey and Dr Mahsa Samadi presented a new course that they are introducing to Imperial College in 2027. They explained that this course will be aimed at STEM students, focusing on developing essential and transferrable skills that make graduates stand out to employers; they emphasised how leadership, initiative, and the ability to both be independent and work in a team all contribute to success. It was so useful to hear the important qualities that you should develop to stand out, as these apply to university interviews and also future job interviews.

I found it very inspiring when Dr Carey and Dr Samadi explained their career progression from secondary school to where they are today. Their journeys showed that you can change jobs, take up another degree, or not fully know what you want to do for a career, even at university, and still be successful. This really gave a sense of reassurance, since the thought of the future can be a bit daunting sometimes!”

Dr Neumann, Head of Biology, agreed, saying: “The talk brilliantly highlighted how crucial it is to build strong skills alongside academic knowledge during a biological sciences degree. It was an inspiring reminder that success in biology isn’t just about what you learn, but how you apply it.”

This visit was arranged as part of our regular Futures programme of talks and activities. Find out more about Futures here.