Bethan Kathe Kühnel Mann

Current Employer/Organisation Name

YouGov

What have you been doing since leaving Exeter, and what are you doing now?

I’ve been working at YouGov in the Political and Social Team, as a junior research executive.

Why did you choose this career? And what do you enjoy most about your work?

I really enjoyed the statistics and quantitative data analysis part of my BSc Crim undergrad and when I continued it through a MSc Social Data Science I realised I wanted to go into a research / data analyst role. I love that with my role I get to continue researching first hand different social and political issues and that the work we do is always completely up to date in the news. I also love that our data is so widely used and you can see direct positive impact of collecting the data we do, and it’s pretty cool seeing it regularly in the news.

Please tell us if you were a member of any societies, groups or sports clubs?

I was a member of Enactus society, netball society and RAG.

What did you enjoy most about your programme and what was the biggest highlight?

I enjoyed the quantitative data analysis the most and being able to apply it to the crime areas I was interested in most.

What did you enjoy most about studying here?

I liked the campus set up and how integrated into Exeter city it felt. I liked that my course was quite small so that I knew everyone and I got to know my lecturers in the Q-step centre too, which felt quite close and like a very constructive and supportive place to learn.

Why did you choose to study at Exeter?

I liked the area and campus and that it is well known as an excellent place to study.

What skills and experiences have been most useful for your career?

My research skills were key but overall it was the fact that I was literate in R / R studio that made me stand out from the crowd and got me the position.

What advice would you give to a current student who wishes to pursue your career?

I would say take the opportunities from uni that you can, say yes to all the work experience opportunities, even if they’re just a week. Look to work with lecturers that you share research interests with and throw yourself into the modules that you enjoy – but also have the best time with your friends as it’s a once in a lifetime experience!

What are your plans for the future?

I plan to stay at YouGov for the foreseeable future, and hopefully travel with work too so I can experience working in a different culture / country.