Student news

The journey so far

As a young woman of Jamaican and Guyanese heritage, I grew up with the narrative ‘twice as good to be as good’ instilled in me from young. I knew that this didn’t necessarily mean that I was void of being able to achieve goals but I gained an early recognition that it was going to take a certain level of determination and perseverance in order to attain them.

The journey so far

My time at Oxford so far has been surprisingly good, considering I started in 2020. Initially, rules during the pandemic meant that socialising at the start of university was weird, but I was fortunate enough to be able to make good friends, despite catching Covid in my second week, which was not much fun. Getting through this time was definitely aided by the great friends I had around me and support from my church in Oxford.

My Oxford experience

Closure dates on arrival weekends

Work will take place on the below dates and times and the station will be closed entirely with no train services running to or from Oxford Station on these days. Services on other days of the week will not be affected.

Hannah Rana was formerly a DPhil candidate and Amelia Earhart Fellow in cryogenics at the University's Department of Engineering Science. Hannah’s PhD research in astronautical engineering focused on developing cryocoolers for space science instrumentation and detectors for the next generation of space missions. As a Schmidt Science Fellow, Hannah will have the opportunity to employ her engineering skills to advance the development of artificial retina, with the ultimate aim of restoring vision to the blind.

Choosing Oxford

If you are staying in Oxford over the summer, there is lots to do in and around the city. We've picked out a selection of activities and events that you might enjoy:

It was my third year of my undergraduate English degree when I was diagnosed with dyspraxia and dysgraphia. Seven years later, I am in the fourth year of my DPhil on British silent cinema and my life and study have been transformed by the diagnosis. I now understand how I work and think. I understand that I need more time to process, to formulate ideas and to structure written work. I have an answer, now, when my handwriting is described as ‘bizarre’ as it was in my first year of study!

The Journey So Far

Picture this. Tower Hamlets, one of London’s most deprived boroughs. My dad, an immigrant, and my mum, a refugee. My dad, a carpenter in a country which didn’t welcome him. He wanted to be an economist. My mum, whose fine art studies at the University of Pristina were cut short by genocide and war. Well, they fell in love. We lived in a tiny flat, in an estate where people worried more about what was next on their child’s plate rather than what will be next in their educational journey.

Adapting to remote research
I'm a qualitative researcher, which means that face-to-face contact is really important. You can pick up on body language in your analysis. You get to know if the participant is more distressed or if something is more important to them.