Rosemary Hulak

What re you majoring in?
Environmental Biology

What did you do before you started your course?
Before I came to UTS I did a TAFE Certificate IV in Nursing, and also tried a lot of different degrees (Arts, Communications) at a lot of different universities before settling on science at UTS.

What motivated you to study this degree/major?
I initially started in Biomedical Science, but changed to Environmental Biology when I realised a lot of my interest and passion lay in the world around us, and the delicate and intricate ways all the parts interact.

What do you enjoy most about your degree?
What I have enjoyed most is being really engrossed in a subject, because it explains some of the core issues going on in the world around us, and helps us to walk way with a deeper understanding so we can form our own opinions.

There are some fantastic field trips as well, that take you out into the field and let you get some good field experience.

Why did you choose to study at UTS?
I moved to Sydney to study at UTS, because of the quality of education delivered. With so many universities going fully online, I wanted a more hands on, face-to-face education.

What is it like to study at UTS Science?
UTS classes are small enough that it's not daunting to talk to a lecturer, which makes a big difference. There are some really amazing teachers here, with a wealth of knowledge, which can be great to utilise.

Is there any advice you would give to students studying this degree?
There are also some great free programs like U:PASS, which are hour long group peer mentoring sessions where you go over that week's material. This can be very helpful for some of the trickier subjects, but don't give up!

What would you like to do once you complete by your degree?
I am interested in combining my science degree with my interest in communications and public relations. We need to keep looking at new ways to get people engaged and interested in science, because it's so important for everyone to understand the world around them.

What other activities do you participate/do at uni?
I have been a Peer Mentor in two first year subjects, helping first years to navigate the path into tertiary education. I am also part of the SOUL volunteer program, volunteering in on campus and off campus roles.

Tell us something interesting about yourself
At the beginning of last year, I went to Uganda for a month and hiked 4 hours into the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to see some of the last remaining wild mountain gorillas. An amazing experience that really reminded why I'm doing my degree.