Before coming to Lancaster I studied for an MSc in Biotechnology at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland.

After five years of MSc study in Poland, I realised that my passion is for analysis of data, not for obtaining it in laboratory research. So I decided to develop my analytical skills in one of Europe's most prestigious Management Science departments – on the MSc in Logistics and Supply Chain Management.

I heard about Lancaster's high-quality teaching and the very practical approach to studying on the Masters programmes in Management Science, and in particular the high reputation they have for operational research. Also, Lancaster University Management School's high ranking was very reassuring.

Summer project with Shell

The four-month summer project was the most important feature of the course for me. Not only did I use the skills acquired through the course on my project, but I also obtained extremely valuable experience working in an international company – Shell.

My project with Shell lasted from mid-May until mid-September. I organised the project myself. I joined a Statistics and Chemometrics Group in Chester. I was mainly involved in three projects: the scope of each of them was sufficient to be presented in the MSc dissertation. I was involved in business solutions and inventory control projects, but I chose the assessment of the “Prediction Toolbox”, developed by the Group, to be my main MSc project.

In the company I was given lots of responsibility. I had contact with experts and managers in many fields. However, the biggest satisfaction for me was developing my ideas into models that would be used by an international company like Shell.

I also found the MSc very helpful because sophisticated and difficult topics were presented in a very understandable way – especially valuable for someone like me, who had no previous experience in operational research.

Even though the MSc was very intensive, there was always time for socialising and meetings with friends. Living on campus also helped making closer friendships. I was also a course representative. Together with three other representatives we were trying to be a bond between the students and the teachers, trying to solve any issues that arose. We organised two dinners where we could gather together, talk, laugh and strengthen our friendships.

After completing my MSc I decided to pursue my studies at Lancaster by starting a PhD in Statistics, in the Mathematics and Statistics Department, with cooperation from Unilever. My research involved creating statistical solutions, based on wavelets, for data gathered through research done by Unilever.

In the long term, I can see myself either working in a consulting company or staying in academia, while applying the research done at university to industrial problems.