Industrial placement Student Review

Lots of lab work, data analysis on days working from home. My project itself was more technology development led but got experience in using liquid handlers and cell culture.

Yes, once training occurred (not as much as usual due to lab occupancy limits due to covid19) I was doing cell culture and looked after other people's cells. Responsibility to be in charge of research for my IP project/sorting out ordering reagents/following manufacturers protocols with guidance when necessary but emphasis on independence.

Developed many lab skills - cell culture, dilutions, using new equipment (liquid handlers), planning experiments myself with more of an idea of why I was carrying out experiments. Learning how best to write my experiments (electronic lab recording) and best practice for recording data (integrity wise).

Support when required, weekly 1:1s especially when working from home. Support when asking for help but also encouraged to be independent. Support was a little more limited when people were busy but still enough to allow development/learning opportunities. Lots of guidance with experiment planning and with any help/support in re to the pandemic and changes in lab time/work from home.

Hard to experience with covid when office was empty as people went home after doing lab work/didn't interact with anyone outside immediate team and even in immediate team I rarely saw them in person. An effort was made to organize virtual coffee chats which was good but it still felt isolating due to covid19 so is hard to comment on normal atmosphere.

Enjoyed the skills I learnt and when I was allowed into the lab, was just a shame they didn't set testing etc up earlier and that placement students weren't able to come in a lot due to prioritization of permanent staff (as expected). However, I have enjoyed the lab time and immediate colleagues I worked with were supportive.

Yes