Extracurricular programs

Become an entrepreneur with UTS Startups

UTS Startups is a distinctive UTS enterprise designed to educate and launch the entrepreneurs of tomorrow. Within UTS Startups are a set of programs aimed at different stages of the entrepreneurial journey – Ideate, Accelerate, and International.

Russell Sandstrom, a UTS Science PhD candidate, graduated from the UTS Startups program. In a period of eight weeks, Russell collaborated with students from a range of disciplines including DAB and FEIT to develop a communication program aimed at assisting deaf people in Australia. 

The students chose this idea because of the huge communication discrepancy between deaf and non-deaf people, and Russell and his team wanted to minimise that type of miscommunication in society.

“People often don’t know how to deal with a deaf person,” he said. “Most people think ‘well surely I could just write notes back and forth’ but some deaf people don’t learn English at all because Auslan is a completely different language,” he said.
 
Russell found that coming from a science background was extremely beneficial and that his technical skills allowed him to work more effectively with the rest of the team. 

I found that each of us were able to bring a different skill or experience to the table that helped us work as a better team overall

Read the full article about Russell's experience or learn more about UTS Startups.

 

Travel the world and make an impact with the New Colombo Plan

The prestigious New Colombo Plan Scholarships Program (opens an external site) is an Australian government initiative that provides opportunities for the best and brightest undergraduate university students from Australia to study in 40 participating countries and territories in the Indo-Pacific region.

Students have the opportunity to undertake at least one session of study, and up to a full academic year of study in one of these destinations. An internship/mentorship component which can be taken before or after the study component, is also a key part of the Scholarship Program.

In 2018 Associate Professor Alison Ung from UTS' School of Mathematics and Physical Sciences led six UTS students across Cambodia in January for the educational and rewarding adventure.

"The trip isn’t only about science; the students also become immersed in Cambodian culture—it's about language and culture." Associate Professor Ung said.

They learn how science is taught and practiced outside of Australia. It really helps our students become global citizens,

Exciting, humbling, galvanizing. These are the three words UTS Biomedical Science student Christopher Murphy chose to describe his New Colombo Plan trip.

"It was an awesome opportunity, a once in a lifetime experience. The application process was quick and straightforward. I couldn’t recommend it enough!" he said.

Read the full story. Find out more about the New Colombo Plan and apply here.

 

Gain valuable career experience with a UTS Science internship

All science and maths students are strongly encouraged to explore professional experience opportunities, and when possible take on an internship, while studying at UTS. 

A Science internship can be presented in many forms; research project on campus or at an external organisation, lab-based work in a local hospital, office work at a medical firm, work experience in a National Park, full-time internship in a bank. The applications of science are endless so think outside the box.

Read some stories of real internship experiences or download the Science Internships Factsheet.