Lauryn shares her memories from her time studying Mathematics at Edinburgh and how it shaped her next steps, achievements and career in Business Strategy. 

Why did you decide to study Maths at the University of Edinburgh?

When I was young, my dad completed an MBA at Heriot-Watt University and we came to Edinburgh for his graduation – I remember being in Princes Street Gardens and thinking it was like walking through a pop-up picture book and that memory always stuck with me.

When I was applying, I was considering universities in Canada and South Africa as well as the UK. I wasn’t 100% sure what I wanted to study at first but I really enjoyed the challenge that Maths provided. I was very grateful to be awarded a Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at Edinburgh – I always felt fully supported by the team and there was a great community through the Mastercard programme. I still have a lot of love for that crew. I definitely found the transition to university easier because of these friendships and the support I received.

I’m genuinely really glad I did a degree in Maths – I wanted to be challenged and that definitely happened. Maths is also surprisingly creative and collaborative.

Did you take any optional courses outside of Maths?

I did a lot of Economics courses and I also took a course called ‘Africa in the Contemporary World’ from the School of Social and Political Science as the renowned Centre for African Studies was a big selling point for the university.

I was glad the degree was four years long as it gave me time to explore different courses outside of Maths and get involved in lots of extracurricular activities. In my first summer I took an additional student-led course, and I chose to write about the evolving representation of Black characters in American films from the early 1900s to Get Out. I regretted it a little bit when I had to write essays over summer but it was also incredibly interesting and such a cool offering from the uni.

Do you have any highlights or favourite memories of your time at university?

My first ceilidh was so much fun – there was just a wonderful energy, I loved it! I always enjoyed climbing up Arthur’s Seat with friends, especially at sunset. I loved Edinburgh as a city and I’ve been back a few times since I graduated. I always felt so safe and it is just so beautiful. Plus, you’re close to other great cities like Glasgow (which is where I attended loads of concerts).

I got on really well with my personal tutor – I went to him regularly for advice on my courses and it was invaluable having that support system in place throughout my degree. I also have lots of lovely memories at the James Clerk Maxwell Building and MathsBase – I would pop in after lectures and that definitely helped me make more Maths friends and we would support each other with coursework and morale.

Edinburgh was an important transitional phase, a chrysalis within which I grew up and became more myself. Especially being a long way from home, it really was a time when I became more independent, gained confidence, learnt lessons, fell in and out of love, made wonderful friendships, learnt about ambition, feminism, leadership and responsibility through society work, and learnt to be more proactive about making my dreams come true.

Leaving Edinburgh was hard but I was very lucky to graduate at Edinburgh castle with my friends, which was a very romantic way to end my degree.

In your final year you wrote a book – can you tell us about that?

During the pandemic I started journaling and exploring ideas around the underrepresentation of young Black women in STEM. While I really enjoyed my degree, it was tough to (often) be the only Black person in the room and I experienced many microaggressions or outright racism and misogynoir. In my final year I had already secured my graduate job, so I was able to give some time to working on writing my book, The Shuri Effect: Bridging the gap for young Black women in STEM. In the book I discuss the complex reasons why there are so few Black women in STEM careers, the inspiring ways they have continued to be pioneers, how we need to widen aspirations as well as access, and what we can do to change the situation.

Do you have any role models, podcasts or other books you would recommend to anyone interested in this topic?

Anne-Marie Imafidon! She was a child prodigy and at just 20 years old, she received her Master’s Degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Oxford. She then went on to found STEMETTES – an award-winning social enterprise working to inspire and support girls, young women and non-binary young people into Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths careers. I had the honour of co-hosting their flagship podcast series with her in 2022. They lied when they said never meet your heroes. She is wonderful.

Some great books I’d recommend people pick up:

• The end of bias: How we eliminate unconscious bias and create a more just world by Jessica Nordell
• What white people can do next: From allyship to coalition by Emma Dabiri
• Invisible Women: Exposing data bias in a world designed for men by Caroline Criado Perez
• Superior: The Return of Race Science by Angela Saini
• Unwell Women: A Journey Through Medicine and Myth in a Man-Made World by Elinor Cleghorn

Can you tell us about how you got into your current career?

I loved statistics so after speaking with the Careers Service at the university, I thought a career in banking or operational research could be a good option for me. In my second year of university, I got some experience with an Asset Management company through a ‘Spring Week’ opportunity during the Easter holidays. They invited me back for a 6-week summer internship, then I was offered a graduate job with them.

I would really recommend Spring Weeks to students starting to think about their career options, as it was a great way to learn about different industries and figure out if it’s for you. They are competitive to get but I wouldn’t be where I am now without that opportunity.

I work in a Strategy team. My role is all about data-informed storytelling – drawing insights from data and communicating it to different audiences. I really wanted a numerate job so I enjoy being able to apply my skills from my Maths degree.

What advice would you give future students who are considering studying Mathematics at Edinburgh?

You’re not just studying Maths at Edinburgh – you’re part of a larger community. Stay open to what the city and university have to offer. Don’t just focus on your degree – engage academically, but also get involved in the Edinburgh community, volunteer, make lots of friends, join societies and projects that are cross-disciplinary. You might make a friend for life or discover a cool hobby or both. Also, use office hours, ask for mental health support if you need it and speak to the Careers team. Enjoy it fully! In no time at all, it’ll be over so please soak it in.

Find out more about how the University is supporting and promoting equality, diversity and inclusion.

Alumni Stories: Lauryn Mwale / School of Mathematics by blogadmin is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0

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