A maths ace aims to help mankind take its next giant leap into the final frontier after securing a place on the country’s most prestigious aerospace programme.
Estonian Mark Nedaskovski, 18, is celebrating after securing A stars in A level Maths, Further Maths and Physics to earn a place on the MEng Aeronautical Engineering programme at Imperial College London.
He said: “I’m so happy to get these results. It’s my last step here at college and demonstrates all of the hard work I’ve put in – because I have worked really hard to achieve them. It’s what I really wanted.”
Mark said he would like to work in the aerospace industry and his dream is to work on a project that furthers humankind’s exploration of space. He added: “To be a part of any kind of space exploration or helping put people on Mars, that would be great.”
Mark, a regular high flyer in Maths Olympiad competitions, is from Estonia and chose Loughborough College after scouring the internet for somewhere which would provide him with the right balance of challenge, facilities and community.
“I was wondering about my future and looking at USA, Russia or Estonia. There were lots of options, but I found UK system of education most suited for me,” he explained.
“In the UK, you can pick three subjects you like the most and put all your focus into them. I really liked the history and the community around Loughborough College and was interested in its connections with Loughborough University. It was a good choice!”
Mark used the Covid-imposed lockdowns to his advantage, using online lessons to learn all he could from his tutors before diving deeper into his subjects in his spare time.
He said: “I found lockdown really useful actually because I found that I could spend more time doing subjects which I found most useful. It also meant I could focus more time on preparing for Maths Olympiads and university interviews.”
Despite his incredible self-determination and focus, Mark said he would not have achieved his potential without the support of the College’s teaching staff.
“They have been fantastic,” he said. “My maths teacher, Anthony Clohesy, even managed to make a special course, online lessons, every week, where we went through Olympiad-style questions and University interview questions. It was so helpful for me and others to give us that crucial practice.”
Mark said the College’s approach is ideal for budding mathematicians or physicists. He said: “In terms of maths and physics, I would definitely encourage people to apply. Further maths especially helped me grow and develop because it combines a two-year course into one year and really pushes you to understand maths as a science.”
Jo Maher, Principal & CEO at Loughborough College, said: “We’re delighted to see Mark take his next step towards helping push the boundaries of what is possible when it comes to human space exploration. Mark’s analytical skills are simply outstanding and I was blown away by what fantastic potential he has when we met.
“He is a shining example of someone whose extraordinary hard work has paid off and we wish him every success for the future.”