We spoke to Criminology and Forensic Science (Chemistry) student Declan on his experience at UTS, the internship opportunities he’s had, and cracking the case on what’s next for him.
Meet Declan
I am currently undertaking a Bachelor of Criminology Bachelor of Forensic Science (Chemistry). I have completed my second year, am currently undertaking an internship, and will return to my third year in 2026.
I moved around a few times when I was younger, but most of my life was spent around the Newcastle and Port Stephens area. I tried a lot of different things throughout my childhood -
I loved public speaking, and I was also pretty active in school sports. I was on a mock trial team in year 11, we always had fun with Legal Studies, and when I studied chemistry in senior high school, I fell in love with the subject – the combination of these two is where I saw myself going after high school.
“Studying at UTS has been such a unique, industry-led learning opportunity which has made deciding what to do after I graduate easier. Knowledgeable and approachable academic staff empower students to grow in challenging subjects and highlight opportunities for students to gain real industry experience wherever possible. The social aspect of the university is also well supported, with clubs and societies of all kinds to engage with, and a campus that is perfect for social and professional events.”
Declan Aislabie
Why UTS?
Research of forensics degrees in Australia led to a fairly short list, and UTS stood out as the primary contender, given its industry-led structure and its world leaders in the field.
I wanted to choose a course that could potentially incorporate both chemistry and legal studies. I saw how the new criminology course was being offered as a double degree with forensic science and thought that was perfect for me. I think it is incredibly well thought out, and the academics involved are constantly working to make it better. The forensic accounting elective was a highlight for me as it tied into other areas I really enjoy; maths and economics.
UTS has offered such incredible opportunities for me. I volunteered at the 2023 International Association of Forensic Sciences triennial meeting here in Sydney, which was so fun, and showed me early on in the degree what to expect in real-world. I also undertook an Australian Federal Police course on Geographical Profiling Analysis – a course which, based on the success of our year, is continuing into this year. All of these opportunities come from emails or interactions with academics who are really focused on student development.
Choosing UTS was also a really good opportunity for me to move a bit further from home and mature a bit. Plus, the campus is such a unique place with a very natural feel despite being so close to the city.
What’s next?
This year I am working for the federal government in an analytical chemistry internship role, which was advertised by an academic in physical sciences at UTS. I am doing that full time for 12 months before I return to my studies next year. I will also be going to Indonesia towards the end of the year on another internship as part of the criminology aspect of my degree. I am super excited for this as I believe it will give me a new perspective.
After graduating, I really want to be working with the police in some capacity, ideally specialising in forensics. However, doing more chemistry-based work through my internship has also opened up opportunities in that direction, highlighting how broad your options are once you graduate with this kind of degree. I would also love to pursue further study, including honours and postgraduate research.
Moving to Melbourne or Canberra is very much on the cards for me, and working overseas would be an absolute dream. I strive to be the person that someone overseas has to fly over because I have a set of skills and knowledge that are necessary to solve a case.
Do you have any advice for future students?
I really think the most important thing is to do your research. I toured UTS after I started considering it (including the student accommodation because I needed to live somewhere for at least my first year). Consider what you really enjoy doing in school, or outside of school, and apply that to your decision-making process. I believe it is as simple as “do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life”, and I can confidently say that this internship has gone by so quickly because I really love it so much (but I am equally as excited to go back to uni and continue studying).
You don’t need to plan out every second of your next 3-5 years, and even if you don’t know what you want to do after you graduate, there is so much time to decide – I feel that I still have so much time to make this decision and it really has taken the stress of it away.