June has been a really busy month full of food and travelling so I must apologise for not blogging as frequently as I normally do. The past 30 days has featured hard work, free food from the lovely Kailyard by Nick Nairn and a free week long stay in the states!
PhD Life
Most of this month has been tied up with PhD work but I love it and wouldn’t have it any other way. The company I work for CMAC hold an annual Summer School where all PhD students, researchers, academic and industrial partners come together to learn and share their work. This year was my first year and it was held in Doubletree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro which was a fantastic facility! The restaurant there was the Kailyard by the amazing Nick Nairn so naturally the food was delicious. I won’t dwell on the food because there will be a post to come in the hopefully not too distant future. The actual summer school though was great and very much informative. All the first year PhD students, myself included, got to present our work both in oral and poster presentations. Everyone done so well and the research currently going on within CMAC is fascinating. If you would like some advice about presenting, then please read one of my previous blog posts. There were also some workshops which to be honest weren’t all completely related to my work but they were still interesting. The highlight had to be the formal dinner and ceilidh. Looking back on photos it was clear everyone had a great night with one guy managing to sweat through 3 shirts!
My biggest and most amazing highlight of the month though has to be going to New Jersey for a course in secondary manufacturing run by C-SOPS at Rutgers University. I learned so much, and in such a short space time, from the people there. Their work and research areas are fascinating. Plus, I have always wanted to go to New York City and being only a 50-minute train journey away…perfect! It was an amazing week and my friend Alice and I had a great time! My only wish was that Elanor from Tiggy Poes and Flutterbys could have come too!
Life and Times outside PhD
Heard of the comedian Joe Lycett? Yeah! Well I went to see him at the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow and he was absolutely hilarious. You might have seen his bit about paying parking fines on TV or anywhere else as it went viral but that was just a teaser of how funny this man really is. He says it as it is and had my friend and I in stitches. He also gave out free badges designed by his friend and had a collection for an amazing charity so really it was an amazing night!
Wimbledon started and although I don’t have tickets and can’t go see it live, I will be glued to the TV and my computer screen to closely watch Andy Murray’s progress. I am Scottish after all! I even visited his gold post box and dedication bench when we were in Dunblane for the Summer School J
Financially Invested EUROs
Okay so I am really not a football fan, it bores me! I am however very competitive so when a sweepstake started in work I had to join in. I got Portugal which I was very happy with despite everyone telling me they wouldn’t go very far! But oh well as of last night they are in the semi-finals and I am one win away from guaranteed money!! GO PORTUGAL!
I can’t wait to see what July will bring. I do have a two-week holiday planned so there should be some fun and relaxing times. There definitely will be stressful PhD moments anyway! Stay tuned!
Sounds like a great month overall! Sounds amazing getting to go to New Jersey and then NYC!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you have had a great month! I love NYC and I would go back in a heartbeat.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you have had such an amazing month! How amazing for you to get to go to New Jersey and NYC, you must have been truly loving it. I hope July is just as great for you xx
ReplyDeleteSounds like a busy month, glad to hear you've enjoyed it! Good luck with the sweepstakes, we've not done anything like that at work this year :/
ReplyDeleteJess xo | The Indigo Hours
Sounds like you have had an amazing month, I am not a football fan either but after the way England played the other day, I want Iceland to win :)
ReplyDeleteWow you've had a busy month, Joe sounds like a laugh. I wonder if he will come to London.
ReplyDeleteSo jealous that you took a trip to America! Sounds like an interesting opportunity that I never would have thought of!
ReplyDeleteGood luck making some money on the Euros. Sounds like you've had a great month x
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great month overall! I am soo jealous of you getting to go to New Jersey and then NYC!
ReplyDeleteIt's always fun to combine work/studies with some travels and leisure. and oh, good luck for your bet to Portugal. :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had an amazing June, I was in New Jersey last year and loved it. I can't wait to head back
ReplyDeleteWhat a month! I too am watching Wimbledon on the tv because I couldnt get tickets - the weather hasnt been great though so maybe it's the best way to do it?
ReplyDeleteHow amazing that you get to go on those trips! :) Jealous!! Sounds like a great month
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great month!I live in NYC and there is always something fun you can do. Been to jersey a few times its fun too :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing month , all the trips sound so fun and it must have been most enloyable to go to Nyc and New Jersey.
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