My Durham Story - Thalia Seale

By:  Thalia Seale  Class of: 2021 College: South College  Subject: Mathematics

What was your experience like studying Maths at Durham?

I really enjoyed my experience studying Maths at Durham. I found the lectures very engaging and appreciated the opportunity to learn coding in Python and R. I also really appreciated the support and advice I received from lecturers and supervisors which has helped me so much in my academic journey. 

What did you enjoy most about your course?

I liked the wide breath of teaching in the first year as it gave a me a great foundation for further study. I particularly liked the option to take up to 40 credits of classes from any other department, which gave me the opportunity to study Foundations of Physics.

What are your fondest memories from your time at Durham?

I am very fond of my experiences on the fencing team. The proximity of the Science Site to Maiden Castle Sports Centre meant that I could spend lots of time playing sports in between attending classes.

What have you been up to since you left Durham?

I graduated from the University of Oxford with MSc in Statistical Science with Distinction and am now in completing a DPhil in Health Data Science (also at Oxford). My research area is generative statistical models for cardiac anatomy.

What are your plans for the future?

My 3rd year project at Durham was in epidemiology and I would like to return to this topic after I graduate, with my improved knowledge of statistics and machine learning.

What would be your top advice for current students and/or prospective students?

Take advantage of all the resources that Durham has to offer. Even if your main focus is academics, having a balanced life is vital for success, so it is important to participate in sports and college life whenever you can.