Ethan Wong

Course: Bachelor of Science (majoring in Tropical Environmental Biology and Microbiology), 2020
Nationality: Malaysian
Current role: Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Dododots

Why did you choose Monash?

I chose to study at Monash because of the international experience it offered; students can apply for campus or international exchange to a list of partner universities affiliated with Monash while still paying the same tuition fees at Monash Malaysia. Apart from that, the academic staff from the School of Science are all research experts in their respective fields and they were able to deliver passionate and enthusiastic lectures across a broad array of units. Without a doubt, Monash met my expectations!

What did you enjoy most about your student life?

What I loved the most about my student life at Monash was the amazing opportunity to meet and interact with people from all cultures and backgrounds. The friends around me were highly supportive of the initiatives I participated in and we were always encouraging each other to attend the events organised by Monash to maximise our involvement during our undergraduate studies. The lecturers from the School of Science were also always offering consultations to us to discuss any difficulties with the syllabus, and occasionally provided us with opportunities to be involved in their research projects. Having taken up the many opportunities that Monash has provided, I really enjoyed my student life.

Did you participate in any student activities or opportunities?

I’ve had the opportunity to participate in numerous industry talks where employers would share the skill sets that are highly sought after in the industry.

My involvement as the Faculty of Science representative for the Monash University Student Association gave me the opportunity to organise and plan events, liaise with admins and academic staff, handle orientation sessions and most importantly, meet new people!

Being part of the TEDxMonashUniversityMalaysia organising committee, I met potential speakers, exchanged ideas over coffee, and established friendships. It definitely helped to improve my soft skills!

Did you go for any internships or work placements?

During the first year of my studies, I interned at Vivantis Technologies, a biotechnology company where I had the pleasure of conducting lab work involving DNA extraction. I managed to apply the knowledge I obtained from one of my science units at Monash to help me with my lab work throughout the internship. I think the syllabus for my degree is tailored to industry needs. Our lectures taught us how to think, and not what to think!

What are your career goals?

I am highly interested in environmental science and as a career goal, I would want to be the founder of my own company, dealing with issues of sustainable development and hopefully finding a way to overcome it. Somewhere along those lines of being the next Elon Musk!