Shaun spent a semester in UCD and the School of Earth Sciences in 2016 on an exchange program from the University of New South Wales in Sydney
What was your experience of UCD and the School of Earth Sciences?
It was an incredible experience, and I'd recommend it so highly. I look back on it as the best time so far in my adult life. I'm always trying to beat it but haven't been able to yet!
Within the School of Earth Sciences, I took a module on Earth’s structure and sedimentology and it involved a field trip to Loughshinny, Co. Dublin, which was really, really valuable in that it tied the course together. As an Australian, it was great to be able to be able to go on an extra trip and find out about the geology of the area. Ireland is such a beautiful country and I really have fond memories of it.
What other things did you get up to while you were in Ireland?
I lived on campus and, the whole time I was there, I tried to keep the mentality as still being a tourist, but also trying to learn all I could and experienced the culture. I treated each weekend as a holiday. I visited Dublin, Glendalough, Northern Ireland, the Ring of Kerry, the Cliffs of Moher, and a few other places, and then occasionally flew over to Europe – it was just incredible to be able to do that as an Australian.
Would you have any advice for someone considering visiting the UCD and the School of Earth Sciences?
I’d recommend taking modules that include field trips because it's a bit of a bonus to get to be a geo-tourist. You really appreciate the natural landscape, and it adds an extra element to the whole experience, especially if you are passionate about earth sciences. I'd also recommend travelling. I travelled [to Ireland] with one of my best mates and that really added to the experience. We travelled in Europe for about a month and a half prior to the semester starting and ended up spending New Year's in the Netherlands afterwards. [I’d recommend] budgeting, just deciding what you want in advance, and then treating the whole thing as a holiday. I wanted to get out and make the most of every weekend - I think it's important to do that because you have great memories and you get those memories by getting out the door, even if it's just into town [Dublin].
What are you up to at the moment?
I am now a criminal prosecutor in Sydney - very different to earth sciences! But I’ve still got rocks in my room! Geology is still with me, and I like going on hikes wherever I am and appreciating my natural surroundings.