Elisha Hayes

This week we are catching up with former St Mary’s High School and Winstanley student Elisha, who is currently a PhD student at the University of Southampton following completion of both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in the field of Geology.

Elisha attended Winstanley from 2013-2015, studying Geology, Geography and Philosophy and Religion. During her studies, Elisha participated in lots of enrichment including numerous trips to locations such as London.

In the summer following the completion of her A-levels, Elisha interned at the University of Manchester in the Palaeontology Department. Elisha then went to the University of Aberdeen where she achieved a 2.1 Honours Degree in BSc Geology and Petroleum Geology. Alongside this, Elisha worked part time as a Cosmetic Sales Consultant and interned at Chevron for several months as part of her university’s Mentorship Scheme.

Upon completion of her undergraduate degree, Elisha took some time out of education to go travelling around Italy. Once we found ourselves in the midst of a pandemic, Elisha worked as a pharmacy technician before attending the University of St Andrews to complete a MSc in Geochemistry. Elisha achieved a Distinction and her masters project was titled: the effects of phosphate and ocean acidification on coral calcification.

Since September 2021, Elisha has been a PhD student at the University of Southampton where she is researching coral calcification processes in Scleractinian Corals using boron isotope geochemistry. Wow!

In future, Elisha hopes to continue her work as a Postdoctoral Researcher, and she would also like to work for the government as an environmental advisor. When asked what advice she would give to prospect Winstanley students, Elisha said:

‘Follow your educational interests but be open to trying new things! During enrolment day at Winstanley College, I was unsure of my last subject option. I only decided to study Geology after a member of staff suggested that I try the subject based on my interest in Geography. By being open-minded, I discovered my passion for Geology and nearly 10 years later, I am still studying the subject!’

Where could Winstanley take you? Take a look at the wide range of subjects we offer here.

If you’re a former Winstanley student, we want to hear from you! Contact marketing@winstanley.ac.uk if you’d like to feature in an article.