Why did you decide to study science?
Without a clear career path in mind at the end of my final year of school, I decided to opt for a degree that would allow me to discover my interest areas as I delved more deeply into the areas of study offered by Monash Science. In this way, I didn’t have to make any premature decisions and had the opportunity to change my major as I progressed through my studies. I love science in a broad sense, as its whole purpose is to expand the knowledge circle by asking questions about the world. I also love that science encompasses not only research that aims to answer big questions, but also the presentation and communication of science to others. As a naturally curious person, but also a very indecisive one, science was definitely the right choice for me.

What made you choose Monash Uni in particular?
I knew that within my science degree, I would have the opportunity at Monash to undertake interesting units from my own or other faculties on top of my core units, which meant my possible course map would be far from limited. Furthermore, Monah’s industry connections and opportunities to study abroad were a major drawcard. Though most importantly in my opinion, Monash has a bustling campus life, enabling students to strike a healthy balance between academic and social aspects. There is truly never a dull day on campus! Now that I am a Monash student, I love attending events run by Monash Clubs and Societies, playing social netball and participating in leadership programs, as much as I love engaging with my coursework in workshops and studying in Monash’s incredible study spaces.

What's your favourite aspect of studying science?
A lot of the scientific knowledge I have acquired, from understanding genetic inheritance to the health benefits of aerobic training, is highly applicable to everyday life. I particularly enjoy deepening my knowledge of genetics and physiology (my two majors), and their human applications. It is very satisfying to see how different pieces of information from various studies come together to give us a fuller picture of particular processes.

What has been the highlight of your science degree so far?
Taking complementary philosophy and science units. I studied an elective in the philosophy of mind ,followed by a psychology unit exploring the neural basis of consciousness. These units emphasised to me the role of philosophical questions in establishing the foundation for scientific inquiry. I was also enlightened by the fact that the unsolvable questions of the past may well be answerable by science as new discoveries come to light in the future.

What's the biggest misconception you had about studying science before you started your course?
That studying science is only for people who want to become scientists. A science degree could possibly lead you anywhere if you put your mind to it. Also, I think people generally have a narrow view of what exactly a scientist is. I believe we are all scientists in one way or another, so long as we open our eyes (and other senses) to the world and observe its workings.

If you were to give some advice to someone who's thinking about studying at Monash Science, what would you say?
I think it is the best degree to go into if you're unsure about your future path, due to its extreme breadth of subjects, so go for it! There is room for error and Science is for everyone.

Give us a life hack or piece of advice you live by:
You only have time for the things you make time for. It's easy to get swamped by work and university commitments, so it's important to make the time for social events in order to get the most out of your university experience and life in general.

Also Parkinson’s Law… It is especially relevant for university assignments.