Rachel Yamamoto

Looking back at my childhood, biology has always been a part of my life. I was born in NSW, and growing up here meant I was always in the garden or out bush looking for insects and animals I could bring home. The hard part was persuading my parents to let me keep them as pets.

I spent a long time waiting for a light bulb moment to work out what to study. When I realised that wasn't going to happen, I knew I'd have to choose something logically. In high school, my two favourite subjects were textiles and biology. So I came to the conclusion that I could work on scientific developments that could help fashion. That’s how I ended up doing a biotechnology degree, and I combined this with a bachelor of business to build my communication skills. 

I love working on real-world problems, and I want to use science to solve everyday problems that people face. Part of this is communicating science to all different people to remove some of the stigmas. It's also about being able to use and manipulate science in different ways to help develop solutions to human problems that are ecologically friendly and sustainable in the long term. 

I chose UTS because of its hands-on teaching style and industry connections. I wanted exposure to professionals throughout studying. I believe this exposure will be beneficial for finding work after graduating, particularly in science. UTS was also the only university that offered a double degree in business and biotechnology, and I really wanted that experience as well.

Hearing from guest lecturers and their impressive, varied careers have been highlights of my studies. It was great learning about how it’s possible to have a non-linear career in science and the real problems that these people are solving today. It was incredibly inspiring.

Studying biotechnology has opened my eyes to so many different areas of the world. From research to academia to business processes and decision making, I learnt about how industry interacts with scientific research. I've also learnt about the possibilities and the problems faced by so many different sectors and how biotechnology can help solve them. And I now know the importance of communicating with the public about science. This degree has shown me that we should never take a problem at face value because there are always so many different perspectives and issues that need to be considered.

In the future, I'd like to get into the agricultural sector and consultancy, but who knows, I might find something else that suits me better or I love doing! I'm hoping to graduate this year and then do an honours study year, but I’m open to other opportunities.

Keep an open mind to all possibilities with this degree. There are so many opportunities. They might come through lectures, tutorials, field trips, or simply talking to people who actually work in the industry. Make sure you ask questions or just keep in touch for when you might have questions later.

Don’t worry if you feel like you're falling behind. It’s normal to struggle a little adjusting to an entirely different system of learning, especially with the quantity and speed at which information is thrown at you. But it’s also so much fun, so take whatever opportunities you can and keep in touch with those around you.