Erin Mills

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Tell us a bit about where you are currently

After graduation, I decided to take on further study at The University of Glasgow, as I decided that I wasn’t quite finished with learning. I wanted to learn more in my specialist area and make a more informed decision about my future career. I am currently studying for an MSc in Geoinformation and Cartography. It’s one of the only courses in the UK that’s cartography based. I chose it because, throughout my undergraduate study at The University of Edinburgh, cartography was my favourite subject.  

Although I’m missing Edinburgh, I’m enjoying the course and will be working externally with the British Geological Survey for my upcoming dissertation project. I’ll be using satellite data to identify volcanic plumes and the hazards associated with them.  

What is the most enjoyable part of your studies?

I’ve enjoyed getting used to different learning experiences. At a master's level, there’s much more independence and you’re able to put in as much as you want to get out of it. This has helped me find more of a balance in education that I didn’t have before.

What have you found the most challenging?

The most challenging part has been getting out of my comfort zone. I felt comfortable at Edinburgh, as I knew the ins and outs of the University, the staff, and the people on my course. I have had to learn that again after moving to Glasgow in quite a short space of time.  

Do you have any advice for students thinking about further education?

My best advice would be to do your research, contact people, get in touch with people doing something similar to what you want to do (or think you want to do) and go from there. Reaching out to other people will give you more of an insight into what your programme will be like, instead of only relying on information available on the University website.  

My other key piece of advice is to only do something because you want to do it. Don’t do a postgraduate degree because you feel you must, or someone has told you that you need it. Do it because you are interested in the subject. You need to be 100% invested in it for it to be worthwhile and enjoyable!  

Tell us a bit about your background and why you chose Edinburgh

I chose Edinburgh after visiting for an open day during my final year of school. I instantly felt it was the right place for me and could see myself living and studying here. I loved the city, and, as I’m from a rural town, it was exciting to be in such a contrasting environment.  

On top of that, Edinburgh offered lots of flexibility with course choices and specialising in your honour's years. I liked that you could go broad and study languages, or you could focus on a refined area and do geology. That shaped the way I continued throughout my degree.  

I picked BSc Geography after studying geography at school. I’ve been interested in the subject for as long as I remember. I used to collect rocks and fossils when I was a little girl, and my interest grew from there. I decided that I wanted to study a subject that I loved. Although that went against the advice of my high school (which told everyone to do law or medicine), I am so glad I went with my gut and chose something I wanted to study.  

What did you enjoy most during your time at Edinburgh?

One thing that stands out about my time in Edinburgh was the field trips. They were great for meeting people and making friends. You were all thrown in together and got to know each other quickly in quite a specific environment. I loved working with like-minded people. Outside of the fieldwork, I enjoyed the other practical elements of my degree like working with the technology.  

Getting the hands-on experience put learning about my degree into a unique perspective. It’s not just coming to university and reading all these textbooks and doing an exam, you must do the action to learn.  

Additionally, the department was so supportive, I never felt that I wasn’t being supported. The staff listen to you and make sure feel comfortable, there were so many people from different academic and cultural backgrounds, and we formed a community together.  

What was the highlight of your studies?

One key highlight that stood out to me was the course ‘Volcanoes, Environment and People’ course taught by Anthony Newton and Andy Dugmore. That sparked my interest in what I’m doing now!  

Do you have any advice for current students?

Find a balance that works for you. It can feel like there’s a lot of pressure to be the perfect student, but in reality, there isn’t. Find what works best for you, and make sure you’re spending time not only studying but going outside, seeing friends and enjoying other activities. Being a student doesn’t define you, you still have so many other things to do in life. To be a good student, you need to be the best version of yourself. So, make sure you look after yourself first.