Computing Alumni Profile: Lorenzo

My time at Newcastle

Gaps between undergraduate and postgraduate study

I had a 'forced' gap year due to Italian bureaucracy problems. I decided to work as a developer for that year before taking the MSc in Newcastle.

Choosing Newcastle University

I did my Erasmus year in the UK in Leicester and I really loved the English university system, so I decided to go back for a MSc. I chose Newcastle for the course in Computer Security and Resilience.

Enjoyable studies

Individual projects and group projects are my favourite. I also enjoyed the fact that the workload was perfectly balanced. This gave me time to study not only courses, but also deepen my knowledge with external sources.

Experience of the city

Nights out, partying, meeting other students and trips around.

Career aspirations

I didn't want to end up in a company. I wanted to work freelance and build my own company. For the final dissertation I developed an open-source project with Globaleaks. It eventually led me to meet a lot of people, and in particular, people working with the Tor Project. This is the organisation I collaborate with now.

Advice for prospective postgraduate students

Fully enjoy your time in Newcastle, make this year unforgettable, meet people, do more activities than just studying. You are laying the foundations for your life, not only getting a degree.