Akhil Kallepalli

What was Cranfield's impact

As an international student arriving for the long haul of a PhD in the UK, the feeling of leaving home and entering a new country and culture is both an exciting and nervous experience. A research journey is as much a personal journey as any, as every student faces a unique experience. However, one of the most important entities of research at CDS is, and will be, the Doctoral Training Centre (DTC) at Shrivenham. The DTC has been instrumental in ensuring a smooth execution of induction programs and stimulating workshops and lectures for the benefit of the students.

Excited, and looking forward to a fantastic research undertaking ahead, I began the journey of my PhD in the induction week, which was managed and executed by the DTC. It was a treasure chest of information regarding research procedures, ethics of research, library facilities and facilities on campus. It has been pivotal in a smooth transition into life at Cranfield University on the Defence Academy site. The DTC has also been responsible for many stimulating workshops to enhance the work of a researcher.

Although most of us would eventually lose ourselves in the ever-increasing demands of our individual research projects, the DTC had made it so that we had friends to bank on. Our cohort, like others, was brought together by the DTC and, together, we began the journey at Cranfield University. What anyone will find with the DTC at CDS is not just people that will assist you in your research, but also friends who will support each and every student in their personal and professional turmoils, and those that will rejoice for your successes.