Profiles

Mr Will Gee
Bachelor of Forensic Science (Honours)

A keen interest in chemistry and the desire to pursue an applied science qualification has led Will Gee to the fascinating world of forensic science.

An added bonus is that the undergraduate course that most appealed to him was the Bachelor of Forensic Science (Honours) program at Deakin’s Geelong campus at Waurn Ponds, which is an easy commute from his home at Ocean Grove.

Will, 21, is in his third year of the four-year course and hopes to eventually find a niche in research or with an organisation like the CSIRO because of the breadth of opportunities it would offer.

Will has been delighted with the structure of the Deakin course because it provides a solid foundation in forensic science, while the elective units allow students to finetune their interests in biology or chemistry.

“I have focused on Chemistry because I enjoy the hands-on and analytical aspects of the subject,” said Will.

Will has been impressed by the standard of facilities at the Geelong campus at Waurn Ponds, many of which would be found in industry. He believes his learning has been greatly enhanced by the availability of equipment such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers, which analyse/identify the structure of molecules, and both gas and liquid chromatographs, which separate solutions into base components.

Another feature of the course has been the emphasis on research. Students are encouraged to undertake a research project in second or third year or in a summer semester.

Will’s research, undertaken in a summer semester, involved an arson scenario, whereby he had to extract petrol from the soil and use the gas chromatography to analyse the elements contained in the petrol.

“The research was really fascinating,” said Will, who then had to present the findings of his research to a panel of lecturers.

While the thought of making a presentation would be daunting for some people, Will said he had been well prepared by another part of the course, which covers various aspects of law and presenting evidence in court.

“At several stages in the course we act out a court scenario where we are cross-examined by a retired British Army lawyer, so we really need to know our information … It is an extremely valuable experience,” Will noted.

He added that the ongoing program of guest speakers was another great source of information, ideas and inspiration.

While Will considered he was a fairly diligent student at secondary school, he said the need for self-directed learning at university meant that he now took his education more seriously. His efforts have been rewarded with excellent results and Golden Key International Honour Society membership.

Will said it was important to let the subjects that you enjoy most help inform your choice of tertiary courses. It was also important to attend university open days and information sessions to see what was on offer and to talk to students doing the courses.

Back to profiles...