Josh Lojzim

Why did you choose  to study at New College?

My journey to choosing Edinburgh was anything but linear. In undergraduate, I changed majors several times and ended up with a Physics major and Religion minor. In my senior year, I was able to take a class on science and religion, and it really piqued my interest.

There are only a few universities in the world that offer this concentration for a master’s degree, and after researching programmes, Edinburgh seemed like a clear choice. The MSc in Science and Religion offered the mix of taught classes and research that I was hoping for. And as an American student who had never been outside of the States before, the opportunity to live in Scotland was not something that my wife and I could pass up. I was not disappointed on either count. 

What are your best memories of your time at New College?

Simply learning how to do life in Edinburgh is easily the most memorable experience of my life. Classes, discussion in the master’s study room, and coffee at Cafe on the Mound all come to mind as well. Getting to travel in the Highlands was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. My experience of Scotland was beyond what I could have imagined. Lastly, I am super thankful for the Edinburgh Church of the Nazarene. They welcomed us and made us feel at home, and we miss our Edinburgh church family every day. 

What has been your career path?

My career has taken an interesting turn since leaving in 2018. Originally, I was planning on continuing graduate school in a STEM field when I left Edinburgh. Plans changed however, like they often do, and I am now doing data analytics at a subsidiary of Amazon located just outside of Boston called Amazon Robotics. People are often intrigued to learn that I studied science and religion, and it has led to some very interesting conversations with colleagues at work. Even though my job is not necessarily directly related to my degree from Edinburgh, the skills I learned in the degree such as critical thinking and dissecting and/or crafting an argument are useful to me every day. No matter what career path you find yourself on, the things you learn and experience at New College are invaluable. 

I never thought I’d be working for a big tech company like Amazon, so I think that’s pretty cool. I’ve also published a paper from my undergraduate thesis on medical image processing. However, graduating with distinction from Edinburgh is probably what I’m most proud of because of everything it represents. Moving to a new country for graduate school began as a ‘cool thought’ that turned into one of the hardest and most rewarding things I’ve done in my life. Aside from the challenges that naturally present themselves when moving to another country, earning my degree was more intellectually demanding than I ever expected. To me, my degree from Edinburgh represents my hard work, sacrifice, courage, and forever having ties to a second home and family across the globe.

Any advice for current or potential students?

First, get as involved as you can, as early as you can. There are so many opportunities to take advantage of, both at New College and at the University in general.

Second, ask lots of questions. The community at New College is a great place to ask difficult questions. Take advantage of it and develop your curiosity.