2000s

Michal Len's passion is reusing, repairing and recycling. From a field trip to Iceland in 2008, to working in Edinburgh Airport's Environment team, he has honed a career focussed on developing best practice and European policies, and is now Director of an international NGO in Brussels.

Emma Jayne took both her Chemistry masters and PhD at Edinburgh, particularly enjoying the collaborative work of the latter. She tell us how an initial career in teaching and starting a family has led to to a new life as owner of a skincare company.

Rebecca McCuaig's childhood love of the outdoors and landscapes translated into a passion for her degree in Environmental Geoscience at Edinburgh, and she now enjoys the varied work that comes with being a consultant.

Rani Pooran tells us about her career journey that has allowed her to combine her knowledge of international relations and policy with a desire to help transform society and the environment, especially for women.

Graham Dodds remembers his time at the University's vet school as intense and exciting, and even recalls side-lines in juggling and supporting other students in their accommodation. He tell us how his career since graduation has taken him into leadership roles within the veterinary medicine sector and how being a 'generalist' makes for an interesting career path.

Religious Studies graduate Luke Simpson recalls the dilemma of what to do after university, and the difficulties of graduating during the financial crisis of the late 2000s.

John Davison's time at Edinburgh included a lot of rugby and the unexpected inspiration to study Persian. Both have stayed with him as he has pursued his career as a news journalist. He now manages a news bureau in Baghdad, a role that has made him reflect on global inequalities.

Rosana Tignanelli was already an experienced teacher when she enrolled on the online Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) programme. Here she reflects on how the masters shaped her teaching practice and shares how she's spending her retirement in Argentina.

Speech and Language Processing masters graduate Milena Vegnaduzzo reflects on an enriching year in Edinburgh, starting a translation company during an economic crisis and fostering an intercultural mindset.

Passionate about volunteering, International Business with French graduate Alice Stein has launched a campaign to encourage more accountants into the non-profit sector.

Wine educator Helena Edgerton traces the twists and turns in her journey from studying French and Spanish at Edinburgh to teaching at Sydney Wine Academy.

Gender and Society graduate Maya Cohen-Ronen on her combining her passion for feminism and animal rights with becoming a published author.

French and Politics graduate Lisa Thomson is realising her ambition of growing her own business - a niche provider of outsourced HR consultancy and services.

Bedlam Theatre was where history graduate Eleanor Rhode took her first plunge into directing theatre. Her productions have since played out on some of the world's best known stages.

Responding to the demand for new ways of working, French and Business graduate Mhorag Doig founded a tech start up that helps businesses source flexible workspaces.

Maximiliano Bello, Principal Officer at the Pew Charitable Trusts, has been instrumental in expanding marine protected areas around the world. This year will see him take a leading role at COP25, the UN Climate Change Conference.

Zoology graduate Dr Alasdair Harris set up social enterprise Blue Ventures in 2003. Years on, its mission to rebuild tropical fisheries with coastal communities has never been so urgent, or so critical.

Dr Nakul Haridas's masters and PhD research on developing smart antennas led to the creation of a high tech spinout company.

After gaining her PhD in Evolutionary Biology, Dr Helen Senn spent a year cycling from Scotland to China before joining a newly formed lab at Edinburgh Zoo, where she now manages a team of ten researchers and field biologists.

BAFTA-winning senior producer Colin Farquhar reflects on grasping student opportunities, helping to set a Guinness World Record and enjoying the adrenaline kick of live television.

After swapping the music industry for teaching, Alexander F. L. Newberry's work as a private tutor led him to develop an educational game that is now being rolled out in schools across the US.

Founder of the UK’s first bilingual Mandarin-English early years education group, Cennydd John explains how it all started with Chinese studies at Edinburgh.

Football was central to Neil Forsyth's student life and the focus of his first writing job. Since moving on from match reports, he has established a successful career writing for TV and film and is known for creating the sitcom character Bob Servant.

Having completed a social enterprise leadership programme, psychology graduate Jack Scriven is applying his skills at a start-up that provides environmentally sustainable building materials.

MSc graduate Vasyl Romanyuk credits his time studying politics at Edinburgh with underpinning his career focused on developing civil society in Ukraine.

After a "magical" year studying musicology in Edinburgh, Dr Cara Stacey knew she wanted to work in African music and focus on musical performance. She has completed two further degrees and released two albums.

Edinburgh's seaside location reminded Marília Pavão of home in the Azores archipelago. She tells us how her studies at Moray House have shaped her teaching practice.

An expert in the archaeology and art history of the Greek and Roman world, PhD alumnus Sinclair Bell tells us how he's reaching out to new audiences through a TV documentary.

By completing a masters thesis focused on energy, followed by an MBA, Ivan Sandrea gained vital technical and leadership skills that have helped him on his journey to co-founding an oil and gas company.

During his MSc in Creative Writing, Ronan Ryan found it both comforting to be surrounded by people who shared his obsession and fascinating to hear perspectives shaped by a variety of backgrounds.

Elizabeth Mundy began writing creatively not during her English Literature degree, but on a yoga holiday years later with the encouragement of Stephen King's UK editor.

Adventurous fieldwork trips and a supportive supervisor were a highlights of Dr Natalie Starkey's PhD studies. She's now working as a science communicator and has published her first popular science book, Catching Stardust.

Technology enthusiast Blake Anneberg is a committee member of the Denver alumni group. He tells us how an inspiring meeting has encouraged him in his career.

A Latin American Literature PhD graduate, Carolina is the co-founder of publishing house Charco Press.

Charlie Carnochan's career as a vet has gone from strength to strength since his graduation in 2004.

Dr Paulina Chilarska's enthusiasm for her time at Edinburgh is evident, and she feel empowered by the positive experiences her subsequent career has given her.

Nathalie Mather-L'Huillier's PhD from Edinburgh has influenced every aspect of her life, and she has now been appointed as the regional alumni contact in the Caribbean.

Simona Nistor-Grahl's childhood in Romania brought her a passion for science, and led her to Edinburgh where she completed her PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology.

Alice Hoyle explains what inspired her to write books with the aim of explaining mental illness to children.

Konstantina Tziava’s interest in Edinburgh was sparked by a phone call; years later she still credits her time at the University with shaping the person and teacher she has become.

Mathilde Bordet-Volay tells us how her Erasmus year at Edinburgh fulfilled a childhood dream to live in Scotland.

Classic Porsche rally car driver & Professor of healthcare policy, Professor Margitta B. Beil-Hildebrand reminisces about her time in Edinburgh and thanks her PhD fellows for their support.

Quinn Simpson fell for Scotland during a trip from her native Canada to Port Glasgow, her father's birthplace, and remembers the life changing volunteer work she did alongside her studies.

Athanasios Kafkalidis has had a varied and diverse career since leaving University but still considers Edinburgh to be an important part of his life.

Dr Peter Harris reflects on his time spent in Edinburgh, including serving as a Vice-President for the Student’s Association, alongside giving some detailed and strong advice to current students who are looking beyond graduation.

Jean Porter’s experiences studying Divinity at Edinburgh have inspired her to go on to seek appointments where she is not only needed, but needed the most.

Vasilios Danias, School of Informatics graduate and Operations Manager at Uber, attributes his personal and professional development to his time spent at The University of Edinburgh.

Utsava Kasera chose Edinburgh to study his MSc after thorough research and believes, thanks to the quality of teaching and beauty of the city, his choice to study here is one of the best decisions of his life.

Rob Walker applied to the Business School because of its influence and diverse student body, now his two businesses benefit from the inspiration he has gained from his MBA classmates.

Guy Akester reminisces about his time at Edinburgh and tells us about experiencing his classmates seeing snow for the first time and what he does when he visits Edinburgh now.