Julya Ajulo (née Bonkat) (MSc Petroleum Engineering 2009) is a Lead Production Engineer at Equinor in Norway. We caught up with her to hear her thoughts on Imperial and what it meant for her to study here at Imperial.

Why did you choose Imperial as the place to follow your interest in STEM subjects?

"I chose Imperial because it is recognised and ranked as one of the best engineering universities in Europe."

How did you find life at Imperial as a woman?

"It was very challenging but overall interesting. I believe it was very much the same for my male colleagues."

Who did you find inspiring at Imperial and why?

"Professor Martin Blunt. I admired his style of teaching and his outlook."

Tell us a bit about the work you’re doing now...

"I am a Senior Production Engineer at Statoil. I work primarily with optimising production from oil and gas wells in the Norwegian continental shelf. I moved to Norway in 2010 after graduating from Imperial and spent four years in Trondheim, Norway. I then worked for three years in Aberdeen in Scotland for the same company as an expatriate, where I was mainly involved in new field development planning of heavy oil. I moved back to Norway in 2016 with my family – my husband and 22-month old son."

How has what you learnt at Imperial helped you in your career so far?

"I learnt how to work effectively under pressure, time management skills, effective team work and thinking out of the box. All these have helped me in my career because they tie in perfectly with Statoil's core values of being hands-on, courageous, open and caring."

What are you most proud of in your life?

"Many things actually! Earning a scholarship from the Nigerian government to be able to study at Imperial and then graduating with distinction! Getting married and having our wonderful son Jadon who is 22-months old. Just being able to live every day!"

Do you have a favourite quote or saying?

"What lies behind us, and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us" - Ralph Waldo Emerson