Nick Morris
Nick Morris
In my first week of work I must have used a dozen different aspects learned from the course!
”Highlight of the course
My favourite part of my final year was my dissertation. My subject was Ant Colony Optimisation and I achieved an A+. The dissertation isn't an area to be afraid of, but an area to take complete control of its progress and outcome. Your dissertation can take any direction you choose and can be as enjoyable as you make it.
I found the studying experience a social opportunity as well and made a lot of friends during my time at Derby.
Nick studied BSc (Hons) Mathematics.
Maths at Derby
I knew that a degree in maths would help me in my career as I've always been interested in the fact that maths is the universal basis for everything that can be described in the known world. From forces such as gravity to the physics of a Manhattan sky scraper.
The degree was really interesting and I enjoyed studying it. My favourite aspects were projects which involved optimisation and simulation and related to actual problems faced in industry and commerce. An example of this was the Mathematics Group Project where we were responsible for optimising the turnaround time of the Virgin train fleet at their UK maintenance depot. This project was organised by the University and Bombardier who built the fleet and who are based in Derby. Bombardier also helped in marking the project.
The maths team
I couldn't have asked for a better group of people to be taught by than the maths team at Derby. They're extremely enthusiastic about what they are teaching and have a remarkable ability to relate the subject to everyday occurrences which helped the understanding of the concepts being taught.
The final year of any degree course is always hard, but the rewards were amazing. To see work coming back to you with such positive results really spurred me on to do so much more.
The best decision I ever made
In my final year at Derby I decided that I could either leave university with a good degree or, with an extra bit of effort, leave with a great degree. This probably turned out to be the best decision I ever made. This helped me really understand the concepts of mathematics and its applications in the real world to a far greater extent. This extra awareness of how theories react and influence each other has continuously helped me understand, resolve and suggest alternatives to problems faced on a daily basis.
I'd definitely recommend the maths degrees at Derby to anyone. I've met many other math students from different courses across the country. While sharing my experiences of the course with them I've been intrigued to discover how many people said 'I wish we applied what we had learnt in that way' - where every module was approached with a practical overview.
Working at a leading global information services company
If you've ever found yourself asking the question 'when will I need to know this in my life?', I can assure you that you'll be surprised!
Since graduating I've been working for a company strongly placed on delivering risk analytics and solutions to over 600 strategic clients in more than 60 countries in the world.
In my first week of work there I must have used a dozen different aspects learned from the course to help me keep productive and on top of my workload.
I've since progressed to a senior position, which has included a move to the other side of the world. It's been a very rewarding and exciting move, with a huge amount of potential for a great future here and in other global regions.
