MSc Student Profile: Jack Bathe

Next up in our Profile Series of King’s Water postgraduates is MSc Water: Science and Governance student Jack Bathe.

I grew up in a small town south of London in Kent called Petts Wood. I’ve lived there all my life but started travelling to London to do Geography at King’s in 2012. Since then, having been exposed to the diverse nature that London and, in particular,  university campuses have to offer, I’ve upped my aspirations from wanting to eventually end up in a well-paying job in the city to wanting to travel far abroad and engage with all people from all places.

King’s, whether I knew it or not, had been a part of my life for a long time. The school I went to participated in a lot of their studies aimed towards the psychology of secondary school students – even though it wasn’t until some years later that I would recognise the logo. At first, I aspired to attend Oxford or Cambridge and was placed on a course at my school designed to prepare me for life in an elite environment. But when I toured the universities, I felt a little out of place. I hadn’t been brought up in the same upper-class environment as many of those around me. I decided against applying. I reassessed my options and applied to KCL and UCL, with King’s as my first choice. I chose KCL because it felt like more of a free flowing environment with the river on your doorstep and the Strand as the path to work – not a bad path really! I never looked back. King’s has treated me well and set me up nicely. I’ve met wonderful people from all walks of life who have exposed me to things I hadn’t even dreamt of just four years ago.

Jack Bathe pictured with his MSc classmates

Jack is really looking forward to the dissertation part of the MSc programme. The capstone research component of a postgraduate degree – the freedom of self-expression of interests it offers – cannot be matched. While Jack has enjoyed all of the taught modules, he is excited to demonstrate his own knowledge and become in an expert in a subject of his choosing. He’s also glad for the chance to network through his research, providing him resources and an enriching experience regardless of the project’s outcome.

After Jack completes his master’s, he hopes to take what he’s learned at King’s and in greater London and apply it elsewhere in the world. He has previously had the chance to do some research in Hong Kong. An “amazing city with an amazing atmosphere”, Jack hopes to return to the friendships he has developed there and use the city as a stepping stone to China and improving his Mandarin.

Student Jack Bathe with some friends

Jack gives these three words about his take on water:

Development

Stewardship

Engagement

 

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