Just months after winning gold for Ireland in the U23 World Rowing Championships, Ciaran Purdy is celebrating again after graduating from Queen’s University.
The rower won gold in St Catharines, Canada, alongside Donnacha Keeley in the lightweight men’s double, only days after his final exam as part of his biochemistry degree.
Ciaran graduated today as part of Queen’s winter graduation ceremony.
His passion for rowing was ignited early, with both his parents having strong ties to rowing at Queen’s.
His years at school were marked by a growing commitment to the sport and as he reached upper sixth, it was Queen’s Rowing Club that he knew would be his next step.
The club’s reputation for producing international-level athletes and his family’s connection to Queen’s made it the obvious choice for Ciaran.
Ciaran Purdy
Balancing elite rowing with the rigorous demands of a biochemistry degree was no easy task.
However, Ciaran credits Queen’s Sport for providing critical support throughout his journey.
“Queen’s Sport made it possible for me to balance my training and studies,” he stated.
“With free gym memberships, nutritional guidance, physiotherapy, bursary funding, personal development opportunities, and academic flexibility, I was able to perform at the highest level academically and athletically.”
Reflecting on his journey to this point, he said: “It’s clear that my time at Queen’s has been both the best and the hardest of my life.
“Training to become a World Champion while preparing for my final exams pushed me to my limits, forcing me to dig deep every day.
“But the experience taught me resilience and gave me memories I’ll cherish forever.”
Looking ahead, Ciaran sees the road to the 2028 Olympics as a possibility.
Meanwhile, Yelyzaveta Razumovska has also graduated with a Master’s in Artificial Intelligence from Queen’s, having overcome the challenges of living far from home while her family remained in war-torn Ukraine.
Yelyzaveta Razumovska
Before coming to Belfast, Yelyzaveta earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, where her fascination with artificial intelligence began.
Reflecting on her studies, she says: “Initially, it was just a fascination with the name itself and the hope of joining the ranks of those brilliant minds who can teach machines to think.
“Later, as I explored AI more deeply, my curiosity grew stronger.
“For me, AI revealed itself as an incredibly powerful tool capable of solving complex, multidisciplinary problems and improving lives.”
Yelyzaveta’s time at Queen’s provided her with opportunities that would go on to shape her future career.
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Her Master’s project, conducted in collaboration with Oxford Instruments Andor, focused on improving the quality of complex scientific images.
“Thanks to Queen’s collaboration with Andor, I exceeded my expectations,” she said.
“I worked on a real-world industrial problem, visited their facilities and felt part of something meaningful.
“Submitting my paper summarising the results didn’t feel like the conclusion — I knew my research was just beginning.”
Adjusting to life in a new city was not easy, especially with her family facing the challenges of war back home.
However, Yelyzaveta found support through the NI Cyber Bursary, which eased the financial burden, and the friendships she formed at Queen’s: “The bursary allowed me to focus fully on my studies, and the welcoming environment at Queen’s gave me a sense of belonging during a difficult time.”
Graduating as one of the top students in the inaugural Master’s AI cohort, Yelyzaveta is already taking the next step in her journey.
This December, she begins a fully-funded PhD at Queen’s, extending the research she started during her Masters.
“I’m thrilled to continue working on a project I’m deeply passionate about,” she said.
“My hope is to solve the problem I’m tackling and see my work have a practical impact. That, for me, would be the most fulfilling outcome.”