Angus Vajk, Glycomar
What is your background?
I grew up in Oban where the placement at Glycomar was based and went to Edinburgh University to study Philosophy but made the decision to switch to Plant Science, which I put to use in the placement.
What project were you involved in?
I was involved in a lab placement at Glycomar working with algae, the role involved developing new protocols for the extraction of valuable products. I felt it was a good project to work on.
What did you like most about your placement?
What I liked most about the placement was the freedom that it gave me, I was given an assignment and told to go off and work on it, I had the freedom but also knew there was someone there to help if needed. It felt liberating and gave me a sense of responsibility.
What did you learn and what skills have you gained from your placement?
Lab techniques but also time management skills, I had to plan out how long assignments would take and what I would need to do. This helped me gain planning and organisational skills that I had never really used before.
What are your plans for the future?
I'm hoping to get another summer placement this year, working on a malaria drug and then I'm interested in working further on research with Malaria drug development.