Winner's profile Science

Kaushika Mistry
University of Leicester

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kaushika Mistry (left) accepting her award from Deputy Major of London, Richard Barnes (right)

Kaushika Mistry was this year’s Xcel Science Student of the Year award winner. Kaushika is a mature student studying an MGeol degree in Geology at the University of Leicester.

I wanted to do something that would always interest me forever and one day I was just standing outside looking at the moon and stars and I just thought, hmmm, this is what I want to do. And that was it.

This is the second time Kaushika has been to university, having already attained a Business Computing with German degree from the University of Sunderland. Kaushika shows great commitment to her subject and is regularly found in her university department self-studying. When asked what it is about her course she enjoys, Kaushika said, “I’ve always been interested from a young child but when I was at school and at college I never really knew that you could study Geology because it wasn’t really offered on our curriculum. So I worked for about 10 years and after my son was born I thought I don’t want to do what I’m doing anymore, I’d like to do something different and my dream was always to get a PhD. I wanted to do something that would always interest me forever and one day I was just standing outside looking at the moon and stars and I just thought, hmmm, this is what I want to do. And that was it.”

It’s nice to know that your achievements have been recognised, when you’re working hard and trying to achieve a certain grade or if you’ve got a certain aim in life that somebody, especially your lecturers, notice that you’re working hard.

Kaushika’s passion for her subject is evident in the consistently high grades she has achieved and the First class marks she received for the wettest fieldtrip to Scotland there has ever been! Like many mature students, Kaushika has to juggle her studies with her family commitments. Kaushika has two young children and a husband who recently tore his cruciate ligament, in addition to other family demands. Despite this, Kaushika has completed all of her assignments on time and to a high standard. Her course also requires considerable periods away from home on residential and independent fieldwork, which Kaushika has managed to fit in with her responsibilities.

For Kaushika, winning this award is an acknowledgement that she believes will inspire other students: “It’s nice to know that your achievements have been recognised, when you’re working hard and trying to achieve a certain grade or if you’ve got a certain aim in life that somebody, especially your lecturers, notice that you’re working hard.” Kaushika said she was “very honoured and surprised” to win her award and that her family are “very pleased and thrilled” for her. Similarly, Kaushika’s university have celebrated her success: “Everyone in the department who has found out about it has said well done and congratulations, the reaction has been really positive.”

 

Interview by: Emily Crane