Sweethearts From Primary School to PhDs: Ingleby Barwick Couple Celebrate Dual Graduation at Teesside University

A pair who crossed paths during primary school attained their doctorates. Teesside University on the same day.

Dr Lucy Butler and Dr Nathan Coles proceeded to attend college together where they eventually became a couple during their second year of pursuing their PhDs. Both aged 27 and hailing from the same place, these scholars started this journey. Ingleby Barwick , first encountered each other as children at Whinstone Primary and went on to attend All Saints Academy and Bede Sixth Form.

Their eerily parallel journeys subsequently led them both to Teesside University, where they first pursued undergraduate degrees—Lucy studying biological sciences, and Nathan opting for biomedical sciences.

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They both completed their degrees with First Class Honours prior to advancing to doctoral studies at the university’s National Horizons Centre. This year they became engaged, and recently marked their achievements during the inaugural academic award ceremonies hosted in the institution's brand-new Digital Life facility.

Lucy, who serves as a lecturer in bioinformatics at the University’s School of Health & Life Sciences, mentioned: “Upon completing our initial degrees, we became aware of the launch of the National Horizons Centre, an outstanding facility with cutting-edge resources dedicated to biological research.”

It was an ideal chance to remain near home whilst advancing our academic pursuits. I enrolled as a PhD student, and Nathan finished his Master of Research degree prior to beginning his PhD at the NHC.

The state-of-the-art facilities and welcoming atmosphere of the center turned it into the perfect location for our studies. My professional path has been firmly anchored at Teesside University.

Nathan added: "Teesside has genuinely moulded our identity, both on a personal level and in our careers. Having gone from being students to transitioning into roles as researchers and subsequently joining the team here, it's been an incredible voyage."

The primary reason for selecting Teesside University was our strong inclination towards being a close-knit family and wanting to remain near home to be supportive of our relatives. Additionally, the expanding campus and introduction of fresh course offerings simplified our choice.

Lucy added: "We've forged strong friendships, discovered our interests, and become part of a university that truly cares about its students. We're honoured to be members of the Teesside University community and look forward to seeing where this journey goes next."

Eleven graduation ceremonies will take place over the course of the week. The graduates and their guests have the exclusive opportunity to view the university’s inaugural dedicated event venue, located within the newly constructed facility. This space aims to revolutionize digital and technological education not only in the Tees Valley but also further afield.

The proceedings from every ceremony are being broadcasted on the large screen at the Campus Heart, as well as within the Students' Union. These events are scheduled before the conventional summer graduation ceremonies, set to resume in July.

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