Steven Wong Siew Por
Course: Bachelor of Science (majoring in Environmental Management), 2011 and Bachelor of Science (Honours), 2012
Nationality: Malaysian
Current role: Freelance nature guide and eco-trip organiser for Nature Inspired
Why did you choose Monash?
The Monash University name certainly has a lot of prestige, and studying at an Australian university locally was a lot more economical than studying abroad for the whole three years.
Did you participate in any student activities or opportunities?
I went on a student exchange program during my second year to the Clayton campus and it was amazing. I made a lot of new friends, got closer to my buddies that were on the same exchange program and lived abroad for an extended period of time. Experiencing Australian culture has certainly changed my worldview and changed who I am as a person for the better.
What insights, skills or experience made a difference to your own life or the lives of others around you?
During my second year, I studied Tropical Terrestrial Biology and learned how to look for animals in the field. This skill allowed me to be an effective in-house ecologist at my previous workplace and allowed me to pursue a career in freelance nature guide specialising in night walks and wildlife observation.
What did you enjoy most about your student life?
I think most graduates would think back about their University time and reminisce on the freedom they experienced and the connections that they made.
If you moved to come study at Monash, where did you live? How did you find that experience?
I live in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, and when I was on exchange to the Clayton campus I stayed on campus, in Farrer Hall. It was a blast!
Apart from work or study, were you able to build your interest in areas such as volunteering, mentoring other students, or other educational pursuits?
Since graduating, I have been an active volunteer for the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS). I run the Herpetofauna Special Interest Group for the MNS Selangor Branch.
Have your experiences made a difference in the way you approach your work and your career?
Going on field trips and doing field work has certainly given me the skills needed for my current line of work, be it animal spotting, animal identification or trip planning.
What are your career goals?
Being self-employed and financially independent and promoting night walks as an activity/recreation that is safe, fun, educational and easy to do in Malaysia.
What is your advice to current Monash students?
Set clear goals and pursue your dreams, but if life takes you on a different path, it’s okay to let go of those dreams and make new ones. Humans are subject to change.