The choice to study RED at ICIT was easy due to the course's reputation and the location - something completely different to my undergraduate degree at a major university.

For me the best things about the course were the close contact with the lecturers - the barrier between students and staff is much smaller than I have experienced elsewhere - and the lifestyle offered by Stromness. If you like surfing or kite surfing, coastal walks, or island hopping, there's nowhere better. Even the Northern Lights made an appearance!

Yes, the course is hard work, but not as hard as I was expecting - everyone gets it done. I chose to specialise in biomass and, while its early days still, I am hopeful that the industry will take off.

I am currently working for a consultancy and project management firm in Aberdeenshire. Although it's mainly wind turbines at present, I will be responsible for helping the company expand into the biomass market. Jon's EIA assignment, Sandy's economics lectures and Colin's lectures on synchronous versus asynchronous generators have all been useful already, and there aren't many courses that would cover all that.