Meet Nicola: PhD Student Working for Sustainable Labs
Nicola is a PhD student in the Chemical Engineering Department at the University of Strathclyde. Born and raised in Italy, he moved to Glasgow in 2018 to begin his journey in higher education and has been a dedicated Strathclyder for nearly six years, completing both his Undergraduate and Master’s degrees at the university.
His research, in collaboration with CMAC—a world-leading center for medicines manufacturing research, skills development, facilities, and translation—focuses on enhancing the sustainability of pharmaceuticals and their production processes. He is developing a tool to support lab scientists in making sustainability-driven decisions when designing manufacturing processes for medicines.
What inspired you to enter your field?
I have navigated across fields since I started my academic journey. I started off studying a more biology-centred degree and the interests developed along the way brought me to where I am today. It was particularly during my Master’s in Industrial Biotechnology that I developed a keen passion for Sustainability and methods to measure it.
Why Strathclyde?
The University has been such a great place to grow up in during these formative years. It has taught me about self-discipline, allowed me to nurture my interests and develop into an adult. Although I have experienced challenges throughout my journey, all Staff and fellow students have always been understanding and provided a helping hand. This is why I chose to stay at Strathclyde beyond my Undergrad and Master’s degree: feeling welcomed and appreciated is priceless, especially as someone coming from abroad.
Nicola graduation day from the University of Strathclyde
What is your research/project with CMAC and the Sustainability Team about?
My research project with CMAC, a medicines manufacturing research institution at Strathclyde University, revolves around investigating the Sustainability of medicines and the way in which they are produced. Particularly, I am developing a tool to assist lab scientists in sustainability-driven decision-making for designing medicines’ manufacturing processes. My interests therefore lie in Sustainability as an optimization objective for the development of pharmaceutical products and processes.
How did you find out about this opportunity of working with CMAC and the Sustainability Team?
I have found out about this PhD opportunity through navigating the University’s website. I knew that I wanted to remain in Academia, however I was not totally sure of what project I wanted to pursue. Reading the project’s description on the website I felt equally intrigued and inspired so I researched the topic more in depth. I then got in touch with the project supervisor and applied successfully. I encourage anyone that feels the same way at the end of their Undergrad/Master’s degree to check the University website for new PhD opportunities.
Nicola with his brother visiting the astonishing Terracotta Army in Xi'An, China
What keeps you busy outside of work?
Outside of my PhD endeavours, I am an avid cinephile. I love watching movies and TV series, and I often go to the cinema. I am particularly interested in indie movies and I have found the streaming platform MUBI to be particularly good for discovering new filmmakers, as well as watching (and rewatching) the cult classics. I also love the outdoors and travelling, having been to numerous European countries and more recently to China, which has been fantastic! I think a PhD offers an excellent work-life balance and have learnt that time off is of extreme importance not only for productivity but also as a means to stay inspired.