Abigael Bamgboye

Abigael pictured outside Rolls RoyceDegree Programme: MEng Materials Science and Engineering
Year of Graduation: 2020
Current Job Role and Organisation: Social Media Manager, Ticketpass (Start-Up)

 Why did you choose to study at Imperial?

I chose to study at Imperial for 3 main reasons:

I liked the atmosphere of the campus.  At the open day I attended the summer before I applied I really enjoyed the academia orientated buzz that radiated across campus. I was able to imagine myself at Imperial and the Department of Materials; it was a gut instinct sense of comfort which I’m glad I listened to!

The course: the materials science course really fit my desire for a stimulating interdisciplinary engineering course.

The location: I was keen to study in or near London, and South Kensington was even better than I could anticipated! 

What are your top 3 memories from your time here? 

  • Being on Matsoc committee and organising the first-ever MatSoc Materials Science and Engineering Careers Fair as Vice President in 2017
  • Increasing social cohesion across the department, as a year representative and eventually MatSoc President, culminating in the first Materials New Years Dinner with undergraduates, postgraduates and staff from across the department. It was also awesome meeting Mark Miodovnik who was the dinner’s Keynote Speaker. 
  • An assorted array of fun memories from living in halls & going to MIT for a semester’s exchange.
Abigael at the MatSoc Panel discussion, with Warwick Matthews during her Rolls Royce Internship and as part of the MatSoc 2018-19 Committee.
Abigael at the MatSoc Panel discussion, with Warwick Matthews during her Rolls Royce Internship and as part of the MatSoc 2018-19 Committee.

Can you tell us more about your current occupations? 

I manage social media within Ticketpass, an ethical events ticketing startup, which is taking a consumer-focused approach to providing fair, safe and transparent events ticketing while donating half of their revenues to charitable causes. A highlight of my time at university was working on people-focused projects, with an interdisciplinary team, so it’s great to be able to do this, and use my creative side on a daily basis. 

What are your ambitions for the future?

Abigael standing outside in the snow at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abigael standing outside in the snow at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

I’m keen to capitalise on the strong quantitative and analytical skillset which I’ve gained from my Materials Science degree, and I’d like to work on deploying evidence-based policies and programmes for social impact and development. Consequently, my plans for the future are to gain professional experiences relevant to this.

This interest of mine was strengthened when I took part in the 2019-20 Imperial-MIT exchange programme. At MIT, I was exposed to classes, communities and initiatives in the area of social impact and international development. Since returning to the UK, I’ve been further increasing my knowledge in this area by working towards the MIT Micromasters in Data, Economics and Development Policy. 

What piece of wisdom can you share with our current students? 

  • Network with each other and across campus – seize the moment to meet people, learn from them and help them.
  • Try things you never imagined you would – pushing yourself out of your comfort zone only expands your comfort zone, which makes you more confident and capable of dealing with new situations.
  • Travel (post-COVID-19) – travelling continues to expands your borders, gives you greater cultural awareness and can open your doors to yet more opportunity.