Sheffield Uni Intern Sparkles For Diamond

Shannon North, 20, hails from Bedfordshire and joined the award-winning dispersions and dispersed dye manufacturer for a 12 month long work placement at the end of August.

Explains Shannon, who started her course in 2012: “I was always interested in medicine through school but I’m way too squeamish to be a doctor! So, after studying chemistry, biology, physics and maths at ‘A’ level, I chose to come to Sheffield to study chemistry.

“It might sound a bit geeky but I love solving problems and chemistry is full of problems. There are so many different areas too, it’s not just about sitting in a laboratory all day.”

Continues Shannon: “In the last two years, I have particularly enjoyed the application of chemistry in consumer products so when I heard about the opportunity to work at Diamond, I had to find out more.

“I had an interview and was offered the job. Within the first couple of weeks, I was asked to take responsibility of quality control for a number of products. That was really scary but it shows the team trust in my abilities and that means a great deal to me.

“My highlight so far is solving a issue with one of the dyes. When I realised I’d found the answer, I was so excited. It’s definitely the best part of the job and getting up early in the morning is my least favourite part!”

As well as working five days a week at Diamond, Shannon is completing ‘distance learning’ on three different chemistry modules and working on a 12,000 word report on particle size in relation to dyes, a whole new area of study. When she completes her course she is planning a career in research and would like to study for her PhD.

Concludes Peter Callahan, director at Diamond Dispersions: “Shannon is a highly talented young chemist who is making a very valuable contribution to our business. She has fitted in well with the team and clearly enjoys her work. She has a very bright future ahead of her and will always be welcome here at Diamond.”