Becky Chadwick
PhD in design, preparation and characterisation of composite polymer membranes

I chose to do my PhD at Hallam because of the wonderful facilities. There’s a vast range of equipment and materials to work with and everyone in the labs is working on a diverse range of research, which gives you a wider understanding of the work going on in your field.

It’s very different from degree-level study. It’s more like a job, but with flexible hours and lots of autonomy. The support I receive is fantastic. At this level, you have more of a colleague-to-colleague relationship with staff.

I love the independence and the creativity of studying a PhD. You can very much discover new things together and have the space to play around with your research.

Because you’re creating new knowledge you know it’s making a difference – I’m excited to see what the results from my work may be and how I will make something work better for people in the future.

Becky’s research looks at the composite polymer membranes in outdoor clothing to improve waterproof efficiency and durability.