If you’re aiming for a career in STEM, it is crucial that you find the programme that ignites your passion and sets you up for success.
Competing in the world of STEM is not without its challenges, from funding and technology shifts, to supply issues and skill requirements, it can be a tough sector in which to make your mark.
But by choosing a university course that helps to further develop your own curiosity, skills and level of expertise you can lay down the foundations for a rewarding career in STEM.
There are literally thousands upon thousands of colleges around the globe, all with their own unique selling points making them attractive options for study, but there are a few universities that, if you don’t quite know where to start, are definitely worth taking a closer look at.
Stanford University
Established nearly 140 years ago in California, US, Stanford University offers students a broad range of disciplines to choose from in the realms of arts and humanities, natural and social sciences, engineering, sustainability, medicine, law, education and business.
Research is at the core of Stanford’s mission and the university gives its students the opportunity to collaborate closely with scholars in research that works to develop knowledge and deepen the understanding of the world. The college is currently tied among research universities for the most Nobel Prize wins since 2000 and has had 36 winners since it was founded.
Dynamic programmes currently on offer for researchers at Stanford include the Innovative Medicines Accelerator which aims to reduce the time and costs associated with making medicines and the Sustainability Accelerator which focuses on climate research and education.
Trinity College Dublin
Trinity college was founded in 1592 in Dublin, Ireland and is the country’s oldest university.
With a strong reputation for research, Trinity is also Ireland’s leading university and it supports research across arts, humanities and social sciences, engineering, mathematics and sciences and health sciences. There is also a committed research development office of funding specialists who work with Trinity students in funding their research.
One area of importance within Trinity College Dublin’s research ecosystem is oncology. Researchers have partnered with medical professionals at several teaching hospitals, including St James’ in Tallaght, to improve patients’ quality of life through cancer treatment and management.
Potential students considering a research-based degree at Trinity should read the university’s Research Charter and Living Research Excellence Strategy that extensively detail the college’s research culture.
ETH Zurich
ETH Zurich is a research university devoted to the study of science and technology, based in Zürich, Switzerland that includes Albert Einstein among its alumni. Founded almost 170 years ago, the university gives its students the tools needed to make an impact and contribute to the sustainable development of science, the economy and society.
Renowned for its rich history of scientific milestones, some of the university’s achievements include the introduction of the programming language Pascal by Niklaus Wirth and revolutionary advancements in proteins and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR).
ETH Zurich has a diverse range of research programmes for students to consider, offering high-quality research infrastructure, funding assistance and opportunities to have work recognised at a national and international level.
Caltech
The California Institute of Technology, also known as Caltech, is a university of science and engineering. For those who are inspired by geological or planetary sciences, Caltech manages the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for NASA, and operates a global network of astronomical observatories and the Seismological Laboratory.
Caltech encourages its students to further their understanding of the universe and invent the technologies of the future by focusing on a range of research areas, such as quantum science, engineering, bioinformatics and the nature of life itself. To date, the university has had 46 Nobel Prize winners.
Undergraduate research is a core feature at Caltech, with a number of programmes on offer to students, for example Surf@JPL, where students can engage in research alongside engineers at NASA’s JPL facility.
Oxford University
Oxford University in the UK was named best university in the World University Rankings 2024 for the eight year in row. As the oldest university in the UK and indeed in the English-speaking world, it has over nine centuries of educational wisdom to share.
Notable alumni include Edmond Halley, the namesake of Halley’s comet, Lord of the Rings author J R R Tolkien and Nobel Prize winner and chemist, Dorothy Hodgkin.
There are four academic divisions within Oxford, the largest of which is the medical sciences division which is internationally recognised as a centre of excellence for biomedical and clinical research and teaching.
The university played a significant role in the response to COVID-19 by developing the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. The university’s Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM) form one of the largest research repositories worldwide and aid teachers, students and scholars in their studies.
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