Sameera Tadikonda
Sameera Tadikonda
- Student type: Domestic
- Degree type: Advanced Research
- Year commenced: 2017
- Degree(s): Bachelor of Science Advanced - Research (Honours)
- Major(s): Applied mathematics
- Minor(s): Physics
Why did you decide to study science?
In the final few months of Year 12, I realised I enjoyed and was quite good at mathematics & analysis. In addition, I knew that I wanted a theoretical foundation which can be applied to real life challenges. Science at Monash allowed me to pursue an applied degree in Applied Mathematics in particular, and had a strong background in research too!
What made you choose Monash Uni in particular?
A bit of biased story actually – my mum had previously completed her PhD at Monash University and I distinctly remember spending most of my school term holidays hanging around in her office! I have some pretty fond memories at Monash. But aside from this, I love the fact that Monash has a strong hold in research; they have some amazing facilities and programs that are catered to different levels of study. Definitely enticing!
What's your favourite aspect of studying science?
Studying science is very broad, and it sets you up extremely well in terms of foundation and transferability of skills. In particular, I love the fact that each faculty pretty much has their own building because of the fact that they are so vast! However, to really pinpoint, I love studying science because of the academic staff; they are so fascinating to listen to and are some of the most approachable staff members I’ve ever met.
What do you plan to do when you graduate?
At the moment, I am tossing between undergoing higher studies or working at an institution where both leadership and analysis are involved in my role. I’ve always wanted to have a direct impact and positive social footprint in the community, so I will most definitely try to go along that path.
What has been the highlight of your science degree so far?
This is tricky, I’ve had so many! Life as a science student is quite unpredictable, at least it was for me! It is a super dynamic environment; new programs and events are always being introduced. But my highlight definitely has to be the group of friends I’ve made as part of my applied mathematics study; the whole bunch became friends in first year, and we are still going strong! It is amazing when you meet a group of like minded people who share so many different perspectives, it makes your journey through university very memorable.
What's the biggest misconception you had about studying science before you started your course?
I was under the impression that studying science, or in my case mathematics, wouldn’t really take me anywhere, wouldn’t get me a job, etc. However, after attending a couple of Insider Monash sessions, it dawned on me that mathematics was at the core of majority of jobs. It is a foundation upon which anything can be built. Once you find a niche, you can literally do anything! I would 100% say this realisation is applicable to any field in Science.
If you were to give some advice to someone who's thinking about studying at Monash Science, what would you say?
Talk to Monash students and faculty! The culture at Monash is so inviting and exciting; a person would gain so much insight talking to people about their courses, than just reading handbooks and pamphlets. Come to our Monash Science events, we always have something fun going on - you never know what might catch your eye.