Miriam
Miriam comes from Italy and just finished the first year of her master's programme in Engineering Physics at KTH. Previously she studied in her hometown of Torino at the Politecnico di Torino. Her main interest is in Condensed Matter Physics, and apart from her studies, she loves the outdoors, which is also a reason why she chose KTH and Stockholm for her studies.
Why did you choose this master's programme at KTH?
After having studied my bachelor's in Italy, where the lectures and the exams are very theoretical, I opted to study the Engineering Physics programme at KTH. Here, students' approach to the subjects is much more practical. You are required to learn in-depth about the particular subject and also to use the knowledge that has just been acquired to solve practical problems.
Have you chosen a specialisation track within the programme? If Yes, which track and why?
In the Engineering Physics programme, there are different tracks, and I chose the Theoretical Physics track, and I can safely state that I am fully satisfied with my choice. In my track, we have the possibility to delve deep into aspects of physics that are usually not covered in an engineering programme but are considered fundamental if one is interested in working in the research environment.
What are some of your favourite courses so far?
Up until now, I have taken a lot of interesting courses. There are two that impressed me particularly:
Condensed Matter and Quantum Field Theory for Condensed Matter. Thanks to the lectures and the problem-solving sessions, both of them allowed me to have a glimpse into the complicated but fascinating world of Condensed Matter.
What do you want to do after graduating?
After graduating, I would like to continue studying, doing a PhD, and then if possible, pursue an academic career. In particular, I would like to study phase fluctuations and topological excitations in condensed matter systems. Thanks to KTH and some courses that I have taken and will take next year, I could go into depth in this subject, thus realising that this is exactly what I want to study in the future.
How would you describe your time at KTH so far?
KTH is a very active and engaging university. You not only have the possibility to study what you like at a very high level and have the support of the professors, but you also have many options to be part of the student community here at KTH. This is a very good opportunity for everyone but in particular for people coming from abroad, since it makes them feel less alone at the beginning and helps them connect with fellow students.