An Alien World of Our Own: Studying Marine Science on the Great Barrier Reef
Celecia from Thailand, is studying a Bachelor of Advanced Science, Major in Marine Biology at @James Cook University and shares her study experience so far as an international student in Townsville. Celecia is a 2025 Student Ambassador with Study Townsville.
I have always wanted to go to space. Every child grows up wanting to be an astronaut or a rocket engineer, to meet aliens and discover distant worlds. Fortunately, some of us never grow up. After graduating high school out of Bangkok, I wanted to delve into the strangest and most alien world imaginable without having to leave planet Earth: our oceans. I chose Townsville, more specifically, James Cook University for their comprehensive programs not only in the sciences, but for the environment surrounding Townsville that allowed us students more hands-on experiences during our studies.
At the time of writing, I have just started my second year at JCU studying the Bachelor of Advanced Science, majoring in Marine Biology and Physics. Career-wise, my goals are to stay within the academic sphere and pursue postgraduate education in origins of life studies and astrobiology. Albeit, my degree and career goals are unconventional (at least for JCU), I have had nothing but the most ardent and earnest support from my lecturers, professors, and the enrolments team here at the university. More specifically, support from the Physics faculty, without whom I would not have had the confidence in my mathematical capabilities to pursue my goals to study extra-terrestrial life.
In the year that I’ve completed at JCU, I’ve learned that most people just want see you succeed; all one really needs to do is just ask. That is how I found myself volunteering at the Queensland Museum of Tropics as a coral taxonomist, aiding in the identification and classification of museum specimens. My time at the museum has been incredibly rewarding, not only in the work that I do, but in the people I’ve met and connections I’ve made. They’ve all been incredibly kind to me, notwithstanding my age and inexperience. Outside of volunteering, I managed to land myself a position as a Zookeeper and Wildlife Presenter at Hands On Wildlife. Undeniably, one of greater things about living in Australia are the critters. I’ve never had a boring day at work to say the least; everything from animal antics to answering questions from members of the public. I’ve even gotten free concert tickets on the job!
Coming from such a large city, I worried about being bored moving to a smaller town. Much to my surprise, there is always something going on in Townsville; whether it be a university club event, shows, events, restaurants, gyms, markets, or just walks down the beach. Most recently, I used those free tickets and had a blast at my first ever grindcore concert (though I’m more of a post-punk person myself). There is a never-ending list of things to try and check out. If you intend on staying in Townsville for more than a year, my advice would be to get a car to check out the surrounding regions in North Queensland.
While I’ve never been the most social or outgoing person, I’ve been incredibly lucky to have met my long-term partner here in Townsville and found a small, yet solid, circle of friends that share a love for table top games as much as I do. Becoming your own person and living out your reality as a young adult is challenging no matter the location, but, if I do say so myself, Townsville is a wonderful place to learn to grow.
Photo credit: Celecia Cordes
September 2025
