Faculty of Life and Physical Sciences

My career aspirations when I first began my studies haven't really changed over time; I was already a hardcore academician before I arrived at UWA. I chose HMES at UWA because of its good reputation for facilities and academic supervisors, its good library facilities and its close proximity to home.

UWA and the School of Anatomy and Human Biology provided me with a unique opportunity to carry out my research. Nowhere else in Australia do you have the discipline-specific knowledge necessary to conduct this research, held by a group of academics keen to support a unique interdisciplinary study.

Freedom of work is the best aspect of working as a research physicist. During my studies at UWA I developed scientific writing skills while writing my PhD thesis; skills that are invaluable in my current work. Lateral thinking skills and of course the day-to-day lab skills of a research physicist are also acquired during postgraduate study.

The Science Communication course at UWA offers a really good balance of theory and practical components, and it was easy to see how the skills acquired could be applied to not only my future employment but also to life in general. Not only that, UWA provides a great environment in which to study.

I chose postgraduate studies at UWA, as the opportunity had arisen to work on a similar project that extended my Honours thesis work. I gained so much practical and theoretical knowledge of environmental geochemistry and contaminated site remediation that I wanted to do more - so I chose to do a PhD.

Academic life is the ultimate career for me; at the University of Portsmouth I conduct research in a cutting edge science, help train the next generation of forensic entomologists, and get involved in forensic casework. The UWA Centre for Forensic Science provides an extremely supportive study environment where you get to interact with world leading scientists and access fantastic facilities.

I did my postgraduate studies at UWA because I'd already completed my undergraduate degree there, and UWA has a strong reputation for both clinical training and research in psychology. I never thought I'd be at university for more than three years, but I ended up spending eight years there! It was long time, but well worth it because of the opportunities that arose.