Theoretical physics at UCD provided me, not only with a solid grounding in both experimental and mathematical physics, but also with some of the most enjoyable years of my life, including a 2 month internship at NASA. The lecturers are enthusiastic and knowledgeable about their subject. The course allowed me to study a wide variety of topics in physics, including some specialised subjects not normally found on the undergraduate curriculum. 

One course I found particularly fascinating introduced me to quantum computing, a rapidly developing field which connects quantum physics with the theories of information and computation.

I was inspired to pursue this as an area of research and after leaving UCD I completed a DPhil in quantum information processing at Oxford University. I am now a Junior Research Fellow at Merton College, Oxford. Being a research fellow involves supervising postgraduate students and carrying out research. Having taught physics at Oxford, one of the world’s leading universities, I can definitely recommend the UCD theoretical physics course to anyone interested in a career in mathematical or theoretical physics.