SARAH LAU - CLASS OF 2001
Media and Communications Coordinator, Chemcentre
I have many great memories of my high school experience at John Wollaston. I started at the School in Year 8 in 1997 and graduated in 2001.
The school community was always very active and I remember getting involved with drama productions, Science competitions and pastoral activities.
The energy, passion and enthusiasm that my teachers shared with their students were inspiring and encouraging. My Science teachers especially played a big role in the areas I chose to study and work in. They really fostered my love of Science – I’ll admit I was and still am a huge Science nerd – and helped me see a connection between what we learnt in the classroom and what it meant in everyday life.
Great teachers and a good learning atmosphere helped encourage me to work hard and do as well as I could whilst at school. This not only helped me set a solid foundation for further study, but it also gave me a good work ethic I continue to use today.
Year 12 was particularly special, with great friendships and a really positive connection across the whole year group.
After graduating, I studied a Bachelor of Science, specialising in Science Communication with a major in Pharmacology, at the University of Western Australia.
I currently work at ChemCentre, the WA chemical and forensic science facility, and as the Media and Communications Coordinator I am responsible for the organisation’s ‘public face’, managing all aspects of external communication, including media, marketing and outreach.
In this role, I liaise with ChemCentre scientists to ‘translate’ their work, in order to communicate its importance and relevance to the wider community.
I previously worked at Scitech, creating and delivering engaging Science shows and presentations and training staff in Science communication.
I love the flexibility and diversity of my career, which has seen me do everything from exploding hydrogen balloons in Singapore to fronting media conferences to speak on the television news. The most rewarding thing for me is creating a connection with an audience and sharing Science in an accessible and engaging way.
I would advise current students to seek out as many opportunities at John Wollaston as possible, and get involved. This gives you a chance to work out what you enjoy, but also, importantly, what you don’t, and will be invaluable as you make decisions about which subjects to study and what you want to do once you’ve finished school. Be prepared to give everything a go, and to put in the effort.
