Ben Winskel-Wood

I was looking to pursue a career in research science when I enrolled in a Master of Science Degree at UTS. I secured a position as a research assistant at Australian Red Cross Lifeblood which I continued until mid-way through 2019 when I enrolled in my current PhD program. I was actually born in the UK but have spent most of my life here in Australia with my immediate family.

I’ve always wanted to be involved in science, and I saw this degree as my gateway to science. I’d already completed my bachelor’s degree in science at another university. Unfortunately, my undergraduate results were pretty terrible, so I drifted about in a casual job repairing computers. A few years later after attending an info session at UTS, I found that through this degree (Master of Science) I could potentially enrol in a six-month research project or the equivalent to an honours degree if my marks were good enough. I learnt my lesson the second time around and did a lot better than in my undergraduate, and I’m now enrolled in a PhD program.

I’m passionate about anything related to blood and platelets after having worked at Lifeblood for a little over five years. Outside of work, I really enjoy cooking and beer brewing. One of the researchers I work with used to say that if you work in science and can follow a lab protocol, you can follow a recipe.

I chose UTS because it provided the option to transition from coursework into a full year of research, something that I really wanted to do. Once enrolled, I found that classes were the right size, and the instructors made themselves readily available. There was also a focus on making connections with industry and corporate groups which I found useful for evaluating future career prospects.

One of my highlights was a subject heavily structured around work in the lab. The idea was to try to emulate how you would typically conduct a scientific investigation. I really enjoyed the whole process as it felt a lot more like completing your own project rather than just ticking boxes for a lab class.     

This degree taught me how to speak and present with enthusiasm and confidence to an audience. This is such a transferable skill from professional presentations to weddings. Now I’m one of the lucky minority who doesn’t dread public speaking!

I also made excellent professional and personal connections during my studies. I was lucky enough to find my supervisor during honours, who then became my boss after I graduated and worked as a research assistant. They have since taken me on-board as a PhD student. I can't stress enough the importance of having a good mentor for your career development as a scientist. I’m not exaggerating when I say my supervisor made me into a scientist.

Over the next few years, my primary focus will be on completing my PhD at UTS. While I don’t yet have a concrete plan for after graduation, there are certainly a lot of opportunities out there, particularly in industry.

This degree offers an excellent middle ground between course work and research. If you are considering a career in the lab, I’d recommend taking this course as it facilitates some real hands-on experience.

I cannot stress enough the importance of lab experience is for both professional connections and transitioning into your first job. My advice to future students is to get involved in undergraduate research projects or internships, so you know what to expect when you graduate. If you enjoy working in research, you can then pursue further education. If not, you’ll still gain some excellent skills which will translate into other work environments.