An unconventional journey: Numidia's passion for cars and astrophysics

At Study Group’s Cardiff University International Study Centre, students from all over the world pursue their academic dreams. Among them is Algerian student Numidia, a pre-masters student whose path is anything but ordinary. With an MSc in Nuclear Physics and an imminent PhD in Astrophysics at Cardiff University, Numidia’s story is not just about her impressive educational journey but about a lifelong passion that is as unconventional as it is inspiring: her love for cars.

Numidia was thirteen when she changed her first car tyre. “Of course, I needed my father's help for the initial turn of the lug wrench since I wasn’t strong enough. He taught me the technique to avoid dislocating my shoulder, which can be tricky. The tyre was heavy, and I struggled, but I didn’t give up and managed to do it on my own. It put a smile on my father’s face.” By sixteen, she was changing spark plugs and doing oil changes under his supervision, and at twenty-four, she changed my first timing belt. Working on cars became something Numidia and her father did together, a special bonding time where they talked about cars, sports, and everything else.

“I was very fortunate. Instead of telling me, ‘those are boys’ stuff and you’re a girl,’ my father always encouraged me to learn and do what I was interested in. We have a tradition in Algeria for Eid’s Eve, called thassewiqth in Amazigh, where we buy toys for kids. I was never interested in Barbies or dolls. I always chose remote-controlled cars from the boys' section. Once, a salesman told my father we shouldn't play with boys' toys, but my father responded, ‘they pick whatever they want, whether dolls or cars. Different toys won’t make them any less’. My father’s open-mindedness had a very significant impact on my life.

“My first car was an Opel Corsa 1.3 CDTI Diesel, which I fondly named ‘Coco.’ It was a second-hand car with many mechanical issues, but I loved it because it allowed me to drive and work on it frequently. It took some time to get the car after earning my driver’s licence because my father wanted to buy me something I would love, but German cars are expensive in Algeria, even second-hand ones. I hope one day I can afford either a Chevy Impala 1967 or a Nissan Skyline GTR R-34.”

Numidia sees parallels between her academic pursuits and your passion for cars. “Both fields require a lot of patience, problem-solving skills, and a deep understanding of complex systems. Whether it's diagnosing a car issue or solving a physics problem, the satisfaction of finding a solution is incredibly rewarding. Plus, both allow me to explore and understand how things work, which is a driving force behind my passion for both cars and science.”