Through the Monash University work-integrated learning program, undergraduate students from diverse faculties have the opportunity to apply their studies to sustainability questions in a real working environment.

In 2024, Farrel Wiharso finished his Bachelor of Applied Science at the School of Mathematics and Louise Childs was in her second last year of the same degree.

Applied Data Science is the use of maths and coding which takes data to visualise the information and model outcomes, helping institutions and organisations to make informed decisions and make predictions based on future modelling.

During their second semester in 2024, Louise and Farrel spent 12 hours a week for 12 weeks interning with MSDI’s Strategy and Engagement team, engaging in different tasks and discrete projects that will contribute to their degree.

What led you to the MSDI internship?

Louise: “I was intrigued by the sustainable aspect of MSDI because that’s something I’ve always been interested in. And because the internship would be through Monash, it could also help with connections.”

Farrel: “At the start of the first semester, I was presented with some potential internship options. I chose MSDI after reading more about the organisation and its vision statement, projects, and the goals that it's aiming to achieve.”

What kinds of projects and tasks did you do during the internship?

Louise: “We started with working on an existing infographic, updating all the data showing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) progress across Australia and by State and Territory. And then we created a dashboard to look at the SDG activity in each local government area. With the data, we were able to show the path that local government areas’ were on towards the SDGs, and whether they are on track or not. Our work took a big block of data and allowed you to see it in a way that you can comprehend and use.”

Farrel: “We also did a lot of aggregation of online sources. The project we worked on was an extension of an SDG focussed project MSDI had conducted in 2020, since then they needed to enter more targets and data. We helped to compile the new information.

How did you apply your studies to the work you were doing?

Louise: “Working on the dashboard, the thing that I found interesting was we didn’t know if there was going to be a right answer to make it work. At Uni, if you run into problems or hit a wall with an assignment, you know that there’s got to be a right answer that works – our teachers have designed it that way. Whereas, when we were making during the internship – we didn’t know if it was going to work. It was nice to be able to use my skills in a real life setting. I found that really interesting.”

Farrel: “One of the highlights of my experience at MSDI was creating the visualisations of the data. That skill was something that I’d built on over my studies. During the internship, I managed to create more intact visualisations, and dealt with data that was on a larger scale that I was accustomed to in my undergraduate studies. It was good to take part in a project on a bigger scale.”

What did you get out of the internship?

Louise: “It was nice to see the work we do in a real life setting and see the bigger picture. I’ve always had an appreciation for sustainability and it’s a field that I want to work in. It was nice to see the steps that I could do as a data scientist and these are the effects that my work could have. It was nice to meet people and learn about their career projection.”

Farrel: “There was satisfaction in completing the internship journey and taking on these projects. The main difference with my experience at University was, when I finished my time at MSDI, my work is going to continue to be used. People are going to take real actions based on our findings. That is very satisfying. On a personal level, I feel like I’m more aware of sustainability issues in Australia and the world. I’ve become more aware of my personal habits.”

How are you using the internship experience in your studies and life now?

Louise: “It’s really helped with my ability to self-direct and problem solve. It was nice to go through a different work style than Uni - where things are more dynamic and changeable – and see how we manage and adapt to it.

Farrel: “As I'm approaching life after university, I hope this experience provides me with a solid foundation in data science. The internship also prepared me better for the real world. It was good to get this hands-on experience. And there are real benefits in getting to know people throughout the internship and understanding more about how data science lives in the real world. I’d like to build on this experience and see where it takes me.”