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David Rochelle

I am currently one of the PhD researchers working on the ankle joint within the institute of medical and biological engineering. My previous degree was a bachelor of engineering degree with honors in Medical Engineering. I was also fortunate enough to spend 6 months of my undergraduate degree at Texas A&M university.

What previous lab experience do you have?
Before starting I had very little laboratory experience. However, through being on the CDT program I have gained a wealth of experience in a variety of multidisciplinary laboratories at the university, St. James hospital and Chapel Allerton Hospital. My skills gained include both animal and human dissection, biomechanical analysis and materials testing.

What attracted you to the Centre for Doctoral Training in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine – Innovation in Medical and Biological Engineering.
The multidisciplinary nature of the course and the opportunity to be exposed to a variety of PhD subjects prior to selecting the project I would like to complete. I also liked that you start and progress as a cohort rather than an individual PhD student.

What have you most enjoyed during your time on the CDT Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine – Innovation in Medical and Biological Engineering programme?
The opportunities that are presented to attend a plethora of events from personal development to a subject specific conferences in a variety of local, national and international locations. They are a great way to meet other PhD students and individuals working in the same field.

How do you hope to extend the experience gained from the course in your future career?
I am still unsure as to what future career I want however I have developed a passion for ankle research and whether in industry or academia I would like to continue to progress in this field. I would love to work abroad for a while and hopefully using the international connections I have gained this may be a possibility.

What have you found most challenging about the CDT course?
The PhD research and the complications that accompany it. During my undergraduate degree thing were hard to complete or time consuming but they didn’t fail. You have to be able to accept failure and obstacles to complete a PhD and that requires a lot of perseverance and mental endurance.

Could you give one phrase that would persuade others to join the CDT?
A problem shared is a problem halved.

What other activities do you participate in?
I am a committee member of the IMechE North Yorkshire Young Member’s.