What did you study, or are currently studying, at University?

I completed a Bachelor of Science (Advanced), with a double major Chemistry and Biology, followed by Honours in Biology.

What are you doing now?

I am a research scientist and QMS manager for an Australian R&D company that develops antiseptics and medical device disinfectants, including a world-leading prion deactivating detergent. Outside of office hours, I run a business as an animal behaviour consultant, teaching people how to train their dogs, cats, parrots and anything else to solve problems they might be having with their non-human family members.

Tell us about your top two achievements since you left school.

Starting and running my own business, mixing the sciences and arts of behaviour modification, ethology and science communication!

I’ve also successfully worked to rapidly validate, register and manufacture an amazing hard surface disinfectant that kills Covid-19 both on contact and up to 7 days residual on the surface at the start of 2020 together with my team.

What would you like to do in the future?

Expand my behaviour work to have a facility where I can run animal behaviour workshops/seminars, and train multiple species full-time. I want to be a leading example of what is possible using modern, humane science-based training technologies to show how teaching animals can be done without the force and fear-based methods that most wrongly people assume are necessary.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Lots of things! I volunteer in several dog training clubs and groups, including being on a committee, and have lots of hobbies such as cooking, cross stitching and video games. I’m also an admin for a meetup group for geeky/nerdy women in Sydney.

In what way did ASI programs support you in your career and studies?

The chemistry summer school was an amazing program in terms of knowledge, skill and confidence boosting, and the friendships I made there continued throughout my university degree.

 

Published on 7 February, 2023