Emily Mardon

Before arriving at Oxford, the notion of studying an essay-based STEM subject seemed very peculiar to me. However, at Merton, our tutors' creative dispositions mean that essays are just one way by which experimentation occurs outside the laboratories!

Students are encouraged to discover their own unique writing styles and areas of special interest outside of the general curriculum. There is an emphasis on constructing strong arguments and questioning everything you read, to form your own opinions about a paper or theory, which are skills essential for any conscientious scientist. At Merton we are also very lucky to have tutorials on statistics which equip us with the skills to understand data and data manipulation. Our tutors are active in research and have a clear passion for training the next generation of biologists; they range in their specialisms so that every students’ interests can be discussed in depth in relevant tutorials.

My biggest worries before I arrived at Oxford were that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the pace of tutorials and academic progress which the tutors would expect of me. However, with the support of the tutors at Merton, I am progressing well in my academic and personal life at university. The goals they have helped me set for myself are based on my own abilities and interests, and learning in small groups in tutorials means that any practical issues relating to writing technique or communication skills are quickly ironed out. My tutors have supported me in and outside of the classroom by being very supportive of me finding internships/volunteering opportunities, and by making sure I prioritize my welfare as well as my grades.