As well as studying in the School of the Built Environment at Reading, Marek took advantage of the research and expertise in other academic departments within the University.
"I collaborated with multiple schools at Reading, including the world-class Department of Meteorology.
"This turned out to be very handy, as in order to assess the impact of high levels of renewables, I'd first have to simulate what that would look like from meteorological data."
In addition to his interdisciplinary work at the University, Marek spent significant time working with a range of external companies and attending conferences, which proved to be a valuable experience.
"I frequently worked on campus in the Technologies for Sustainable Built Environments (TSBE) centre, but also at the AES Corporation offices in London, and on a number of international assignments.
"These included trips to power plants out in Spain, Bulgaria and Northern Ireland, to learn the ins and outs of conventional power plants and their limitations.
"I did a policy stint for several months in Westminster at the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology.
"During my time at Reading, I was also lucky enough to publish about 12 conference and journal papers that took me to some very interesting international conferences!"
During his time as a student at Reading, Marek was given the support he needed to make his research as strong as it could be.
“I benefited from the support and guidance from my project supervisors, who made sure to test what I was producing and ensure it would meet the original contribution to knowledge criteria.
"I took some taught modules to build up my knowledge across a range of subjects related to the doctorate and of course access to the library and publication resources were all vital."
Doctoral students at Reading are encouraged to work together and support each other. This diverse, international community helps sculpt a positive and cohesive spirit in the School.
“Our cohort provided a real camaraderie and mutual support network. We all were going through similar challenges. I'm still in touch with many despite finishing over five years ago!”