Emma Atkins MChem Chemistry with year long industrial experience, 2016
Project Engineer at Jaguar Landrover
After completing my degree, I joined Jaguar Land Rover on their graduate scheme, getting stuck in straight away in a fast paced, Just-In-Time manufacturing environment. I started out not really knowing anything about stamping engineering or automotive manufacturing but used the materials science knowledge, analytical skills and experimental design practices learned within my degree to quickly find my feet. The Stampings Group is responsible for pressing shaped parts from sheet aluminium or steel, which requires large volumes of coil or processed material. I use the knowledge I gained through my degree to investigate the chemistry of different alloys, their mechanical properties and how this influences the shapes we can engineer in a part. Through theoretical validation and extensive trial work, I am able to understand how these alloys can be best used to maximise our vehicles' performance. Over the past five years I have worked on large scale production issues, introduced new supply routes and technologies onto our vehicles and managed complex global supply chains for pre-production material on major vehicle launches.
I'm still using chemistry every day. My degree at Southampton gave me the knowledge, training and confidence to push the boundaries of where and how chemistry is used to develop new technologies.
An important aspect of my job is to always be looking into ways to increase our sustainability. Aluminium is expensive and energy intensive to produce, however it can be recycled with relative ease. At Jaguar Land Rover, we are investigating how we can close the loop within our own facilities while also increasing the use of recycled material from vehicles that have reached end of life. I'm currently working with all of our suppliers to meet Jaguar Land Rover's ambitious target of reaching net zero by 2039. This target is challenging but achievable through collaboration across the value chain and I find it really rewarding to be playing a key part in this vital shift to more sustainable material management.
I love the role I'm working in, and despite technically being called an engineer, I'm still using chemistry every day. My degree at Southampton gave me the knowledge, training and confidence to push the boundaries of where and how chemistry is used to develop new technologies
*Course formerly titled MChem with one year placement