Emma Davis Biotechnology
[upbeat music, shot of laboratory corridor pans to Emma Dawson in lab coat speaking]
Oh hey, you’re here come on in, my name’s Emma.
[Camera shot fast-forwarded follows Emma into lab]
Text: The Graduate Tour Biotechnology
[Interviewer] Okay so biotechnology- what is that?
[Shot of Emma working in lab]
So biotechnology is the application of biology to a number of different processes that are both industrial and medicinal.
[Interviewer] So if I became a biotechnologist, what exactly would that mean I do?
[Emma speaking while working in lab]
You can do a number of different things; you can work for something like Sydney Water doing waste water management, you could even work for a cheese factory or a brewery, you could even work for a company developing new drugs. Come with me into my lab!
[Camera follows Emma walking through laboratory]
[Interviewer] When you finish studying what do you think you’ll do?
[Emma works in lab, injecting fluid into a vial while responding to question]
So I want to be an independent scientist studying bacteria and all the things that they can do, but my lifelong dream really has always been to open my own science café where I can serve homemade beer and homemade cheese.
[Interviewer] Talking about bacteria, what is something that I probably wouldn’t know?
Actually, something really cool about bacteria is that they can change their shape; do you want to come see?
[Interviewer] Yeah absolutely.
Follow me!
[Camera follows Emma walking through corridors to microscopy room]
Come on in and take a look
[Interviewer] What just stand here?
Yep just look down the microscope
[shot of bacteria]
[Interviewer] So what exactly am I looking at here?
So you’re looking at bacteria changing their shape from something really small, to something that looks like spaghetti
[Interviewer] So why are they changing shape?
So they’re changing their shape so that they can hide from the immune system. It makes you more sick, and makes you sick for longer. Come with me.
[Zoom out from microscope, camera follows Emma to different room in lab]
[Interviewer] Right, so what exactly did you study?
So I studied chemistry in my HSC, but my love for biology didn’t come til I was in my Bachelor of Biotechnology here at UTS
[Interviewer] And what is probably the biggest misconception you think there is about science?
So a big misconception about science is that it is dominated by males. There are plenty of females that succeed and do really well in science, so as long as you’re passionate and determined you can definitely do science.
[Interviewer] All this chatter about bacteria has got me feeling like I want to wash my hands, so I’m going to show myself out.
Definitely, thank you so much.
[camera fast-forwards exiting lab]
