So the reason why I chose a science degree at UTS is primarily because my cousin came
to UTS and she had only good things to say about UTS, but also because my HSC chemistry
class came on a tour of UTS and we spent the vast majority of the day actually in the science
building.
So I was just really impressed with the facilities, also speaking to academics.
I knew that UTS was going to offer me a science degree that was skills-based as opposed to
being memory based.
I think what people really need to realise is that it's the skills that you get in the
science degree, not necessarily the knowledge itself, that are really beneficial.
Those skills are transferrable outside of the science discipline.
I chose my science degree, forensic science and applied chemistry at UTS because UTS was
easily accessible from where I live.
Also UTS was one of the first unis to offer forensic science.
During my forensic science degree practical experiences include lab exercises, which are
offered with theory.
That sort of led me to an internship at ANSTO for one year.
That experience has led me to understand how the industry works and what they expect in
a lab situation.
I chose maths and international studies at UTS because UTS combined the two things that
I loved most; mathematics and languages.
I spent my in-country study in Milan, Italy.
It was a fantastic experience.
The maths degree covers a range of mathematical topics like statistics, optimisation, a little
bit of pure maths, a lot of applied maths.
Later on, once you start getting into the degree, you can choose which path you wish
to take, such as environmental, marine, business or finance.
During the degree itself you spend at least half the time in the lab.
So there's a lot of practical work involved as part of your academic study.
However, outside of that a lot of the lecturers actually do their own research here at UTS,
which has a lot to do with the physics and the technology fields.
You can actually come up and ask them, can I help you with something over summer or over
winter or even throughout the semester if they have that kind of thing happening.
The biggest thing though is you are encouraged to use your creative thinking and your problem-solving
and you are actually taught to construct all that stuff.
So you are, at the end of the day, taught how to think as opposed to what to think.
I chose a science degree at UTS because I've always loved environmental sciences.
This degree has been really practical in that every subject has had at least one field trip
component to it.
So whether that be testing water quality, biological indicators such as algae or bugs.
Also I've been helping out a PhD student with her seagrass research.
Helping her out with this project has really gotten me thinking of getting into research.