Celebrating Success: Cole Hunt

We conclude our 2022 Celebrating Success series with Pembroke student Cole Hunt (MChem Chemistry, 2019) who has been awarded the Gibbs Prize for Organic Chemistry, and a departmental prize for Inorganic Chemistry. Many congratulations!

We asked Cole to share his experience Chemistry studying at Oxford, and his advice for prospective applicants wishing to study the same course:

“Studying Chemistry at Oxford has been both a challenging and rewarding experience. The course is renowned for being as such due to its extensive range of topics and its large emphasis on detail in all aspects of the curriculum. Pembroke helped me to grow in this environment, and I am especially grateful to my tutors for their patience.

I am never a stranger to asking esoteric questions in classes and tutorials. Pembroke provided me with such knowledgeable tutors that this was never an issue: they could always explain niche concepts concisely and accurately, helping to kindle my passion for the subject.

Besides my degree, over my three years at Oxford I have played for the college football team, and participated in various fundraising events - my favourite of which being a relay run from Land’s End to John O’ Groats in 2021 in support of CALM. I also enjoy playing jazz piano in my spare time.

To prospective students: though the Chemistry degree at Oxford may feel like living inside a crucible at some times, being exposed to this will provide invaluable lessons in perseverance, autonomy and gumption. This experience, combined with the world-class 4th year research opportunities, makes this degree extremely valuable and exciting.”