'Our Cohort 8 student, Amy, has recently completed a 3-week placement with the industrial sponsors of her project, Unilever. During this time, she explored how her novel, sustainable compounds could be integrated into industrial applications. She delved into the science of emulsions, droplet size analysis, and rheology, and gained insights into the formulation and analysis of Unilever formulations.

Reflecting on her experience, Amy shared: 'After being in academia for so long, it was great to experience life in industry. One of my main inspirations for working in science is to see a product develop over time into something that is used in everyday life, and I am lucky that during my PhD I have been able to witness the whole process. Starting off at UoN with the synthesis of small bio-based compounds, this placement has now allowed me to see their performance within a Unilever formulation and has really allowed me to see the impact of my work. I am so thankful for my supervisor, Nerea, for organizing such a fantastic placement, and Steph, Paul, and Chris for their warm welcome and unwavering support throughout the project. This placement has truly been an inspiring and transformative experience.'” Amy Naylor Randles (cohort 8).