Ophelia Phraphone

I’ve always been fascinated by science. When I was younger, I would watch these science documentaries on TV with my dad then go to school the next day and tell my teachers what I’d learned. My fascination for science continued throughout school and in year 12 I took chemistry, physics and biology because nothing else piqued my interest.

When I first commenced at UTS, I was enrolled in Engineering and Science but it didn’t take long for me to realise that as much as I enjoyed software engineering, I never really wanted to pursue it as a career and would rather dedicate my efforts towards what I love and want to do long term. I looked at my options, read a whole heap of course descriptions and a couple of transfers later, I ended up in Biomedical Science.

Ever since I was about 15, my ultimate goal in life has been to cure a disease. Not to sound too cliché, but I want to be able to help people, and the way I see myself doing that is through contributions to public health. I’ve just completed an internship with the iThree Institute where I worked on a project focussing on antimicrobial resistance – a topic I will continue working on in my honour’s thesis – and hope that one day I can apply this knowledge in the real world.

I have always been drawn to UTS. Four out five of my UAC preferences were actually UTS courses! I remember being in high school and hearing about when the Superlab first opened. At the time I already knew that I wanted to pursue science and after hearing about the facilities, I just thought ‘UTS is the place for me’. When I finally got to use the Superlab for practical work, I was definitely not disappointed! It was unlike any lab I had seen before, and it allowed for an immersive and cooperative learning experience. Not to mention my excitement when the Hive Lab later opened up and I got the privilege to learn in not just one, but two cutting edge laboratory spaces.

My studies have given me a really acute awareness of current climate of the pandemic. As a microbiology major, I learn a lot about public health and diseases so, when COVID hit, I was seeing the things I was learning about happen in real time. I’ve also become really invested in the scientific breakthroughs that have been catalysed by COVID.

Over the next few years, I plan on completing my honours course and then would ideally like to go on to do a PhD. Ultimately, I’d like to work in a lab or public health unit but I still have so much to learn and experience, so I’m keeping an open mind!

Biomedical science is perfect if you really enjoyed biology in high school and the microbiology major in particular is great if you’re interested in what’s happening behind the scenes of the pandemic. We learn everything from how to take and process samples, interpret results, diagnose and much more. You will also get the chance to learn about lab protocols and techniques which are crucial skills needed for a career in science.

Studying at UTS is flexible! Once you’ve settled in, don’t be afraid to march to the beat of your own drum. Explore what works for you. If you’re comfortable with a full time load each semester then great! But otherwise, you can just as easily do less if you’re feeling overwhelmed or if you have other commitments that make full time study difficult. Everyone ends up finding their own path so don’t feel like there’s a right or wrong way to do things.