Lucy Cavendish College top-ranking Information and Computer Engineering student shares her journey in STEM
Balancing rigorous studies and student experience, Chloe Yiu, thrives in a unique community.
Rebecca Hankins has excelled in STEM extracurricular activities and recommends that students make the most of the College’s unique connections with local businesses.
Rebecca, is a second year biological Natural Sciences student at Lucy. She is an international student from Delaware (US) but also a UK national.
“At school I always enjoyed science – the liberal arts curriculum limited me a bit, but I still managed to take biology, chemistry, physics and calculus! I was also fairly involved with my school’s STEM extracurriculars, as captain of our Science Olympiad team and president of the Astronomy Club. I was delighted to be valedictorian of my graduating class, and to receive the Rensselaer Medal for Science and Mathematics (as well as some other recognitions for my studies in Latin and English literature).
In my spare time I enjoy playing the piano and singing, as well as doing photography. This year I am also taking up archery!”
Cambridge always appealed to Rebecca because of its rich history and many contributions to the scientific community. It has been a dream of hers to study in an environment so central to science as we know it today – and alongside peers who felt as passionate about the subject as she did. She also wanted to challenge herself further academically, and to engage with a curriculum that would enhance both her scientific skills and love for the content.
Rebecca is currently taking modules in biochemistry, plant sciences, and pathology.
“This year has been nice since we get a greater degree of choice in our subjects. All of my lectures have been really interesting, and I feel like I’m engaging much better with the material.”
Recently, Rebecca received a first-class result in her part IA studies, reassuring her that her revision methods are effective and that she has chosen the right modules to continue with. It was also very rewarding since she came into the tripos slightly behind on content – this was mainly due to differences between the US and UK curriculums, and also the impact of covid-19 on her classes.
Rebecca would like to stay on for a Master’s (and maybe a PhD), but she is still undecided on what aspect of molecular biology to specialise in. She would like to pursue a job in this industry, and is interested in scientific consulting (which is an emerging field here in Cambridge).
Last summer, she took on an internship at Insmed Innovation UK, which provided her with lots of lab experience and insight into life at a small therapeutics company. It enhanced her biochemical knowledge, and has made her consider a career in pharmacology.
“I would encourage all students to make the most of college connections at local companies, as they can be a great way to investigate future career options and learn more about your specific interests.”
Rebecca is very glad to be at Lucy Cavendish College. She has made friends with so many amazing peers, and thinks everyone around college is very friendly. She also really likes her accommodation, with super well-equipped kitchens. And she loves using the music pavilion and usually goes there to practise piano every week.