"As a postgraduate student at Sheffield, there is plenty to get involved with alongside your own PhD project"

Headshot of Caitlin McAuley
Caitlin McAuley
PhD student
Supervised by Professor Tom Bridgeland
After obtaining an undergraduate degree in Glasgow and a Masters in Germany, Caitlin chose to study for her algebraic geometry PhD in Sheffield.

I am currently a second year PhD student in the algebraic geometry group at Sheffield. I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Glasgow, and obtained my masters in Germany from Bonn before returning to the UK to study for a PhD.

From the work I had done in my previous degrees, I was eager to continue working in algebraic geometry, and what drew me to Sheffield is the strong research group in this area.

As a postgraduate student at Sheffield, there is plenty to get involved with alongside your own PhD project.


I wasn't really sure what to expect living in Sheffield would be like before I moved here, but I really enjoy it

Caitlin McAuley

PhD student


A good variety of research interests are represented in the department, and most staff and students are active in organising things, so from informal student-run reading groups to departmental research seminars and conferences, there are many opportunities to learn new mathematics or to share something you are interested in during your time here.

I wasn't really sure what to expect living in Sheffield would be like before I moved here, but I really enjoy it. Although technically it is quite a big city, it rarely feels it, so it's easy to get familiar with and I felt like I settled in very quickly.

There are lots of local festivals and events throughout the year, and generally the city has quite a relaxed feel about it. It is also a very affordable place to live, which is helpful as a PhD student.

Find a PhD

Search for PhD opportunities at Sheffield and be part of our world-leading research.