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Department of Earth Sciences

 

Anna Prescott

Senior Engineer – CGL


Which subject did you want to study when you applied to Cambridge NatSci?

I really liked the sound of Earth Sciences /Geology but enjoyed Chemistry at ALevel… so NatSci was the perfect option for me. In my first year I did Earth Sciences, Chemistry, Biology of Cells and Maths; and then specialised in Earth Sciences over the following few years.

What made you choose 1A Earth Sciences?

My interest in Earth Sciences stemmed from a Geography field trip to Iceland I was fortunate enough to go on during my GCSEs. I absolutely loved learning about volcanoes (it was just after the 2010 Eyjafjallajökul eruption!) and wanted more!

What made you stay?

The fieldtrips! I had so much fun on the 1A Arran trip I wanted more! I also love the variety of topics covered by the subject – one minute you could be studying fossils in the lab and the next you are learning about mathematical modelling of volcanic plumes. I love learning about the world around me.

How has doing Earth Sciences shaped your career?

I really enjoyed studying for my degree and knew that I wanted to put what I had learnt into practice to make a difference to society. I figured I would enjoy going into industry and seeing the physical outcomes of my work. After doing a bit of research I came across geotechnical engineering and thought it would be something worth exploring. I love my job as I get to use my Earth Sciences knowledge logging rocks (and soils) in the field while completing site investigations. The problem-solving skills I developed during my degree has also been put to good use, solving so many issues from logistics and access problems on site; to geotechnical engineering settlement analysis and stability assessment problems back in the office.