Rhiannon Dennis: Medical Science, Global Internships, and the Algae Bioeconomy

What degree are you studying at UTS?

I studied a double degree, a Bachelor of Science majoring in Medical Science, combined with a Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation with honours.

In 2025, I commenced an honours thesis in the Transdisciplinary School, looking at the barriers and enablers of algae-based startups successfully scaling and contributing to Australia’s emerging algae bioeconomy. 

What do you enjoy most about studying at UTS?

I moved to Sydney from Orange and lived at Yura Madang, UTS student housing, making life-long friends from all over the world.  

At the end of 2024, I had the opportunity to head overseas for an internship in Jakarta, Indonesia. I applied through the Global Short Program and received the NCP Mobility Grant of $3000, which covered food, accommodation and the internship itself. The internship involved working with a financial app to boost the financial literacy of women entrepreneurs in the communities Bogor and Tangerang. I was able to visit the communities and hold in-person interviews with a translator.

What other activities do you participate/do at uni?

When I first moved to Sydney, I became a UTS Run Club leader. I then became the Run Club President in 2024. The Run Club has allowed me to make heaps of lifelong friends and coffee buddies. It’s a great way to socialise and stay healthy while studying. I met my boyfriend at the Run Club, and we’ve been together ever since.

This same year, I started working at the UTS Sports Office as a Sports Program Coordinator.

While completing my undergraduate degree, I also became a student ambassador for both the Science and Transdisciplinary School faculties. 

This year, I have had the opportunity to be a Research Assistant, where I’m looking at modelling the economic feasibility of the algae bioeconomy in Australia through co-design.

What is it like to study Science at UTS?

From day one, I was thrown straight into hands-on learning, exploring the labs, running experiments, and perfecting my pipetting technique (which definitely paid off during lab exams!). The HIVE Superlab quickly became my favourite space on campus. The coloured pods and collaborative layout don’t just look impressive, they make it easy to work alongside your classmates and pick up new skills together. I’ve stayed close with many of my lab partners even now.

In my final year, I chose an elective called Environmental Biotechnology, and it ended up being one of the highlights of my degree. We finished the subject with a field trip to the Picton wastewater treatment facility, where we learned how wastewater is treated from start to finish. The best part was seeing the pilot open raceway pond that uses algae to treat wastewater, such a cool intersection of biology and sustainability.

That little algae pond actually inspired my Honours project, where I’m now exploring the plausibility of an Australian algae-based bioeconomy and the barriers and enablers to scaling from pilot systems to large-scale production.

Is there any advice you would give students studying Medical Sciences at UTS? 

Always do your part and show up, but remember to have fun and make genuine connections, as you’ll remember the friendships and experiences more than the work itself. 

Make sure that you take time for self-care. I always perform better and more efficiently when I’ve had a good night’s sleep and put myself first, you deserve it whether you feel like it or not <3.

Finally, be sure to grow your network! I can’t stress this enough. Going into the workforce seems scary at first, but when you’ve made connections with the right people, it’ll make it so much easier and less stressful.