Ellery Johnson

My name is Ellery Johnson. I graduated from St. Joseph’s Primary School in 2005.

I was consistently involved in almost all sporting activities St. Joseph’s had on offer, from lunchtime cricket to swimming or athletics carnivals, cross-country running, inter school touch football or soccer competitions. I was also engaged in extracurricular activities, learning piano, participating in public speaking competitions, as well as being encouraged to engage with the local community at festivals, shows and other community events.

I was always a science fan at school. For me it was really about learning how to recognise and solve different kinds of problems.

My favourite memories of St. Joseph’s Primary School involve tearing around the playgrounds at recess and lunch playing soccer or cricket.

Currently, I am in the last year of my PhD at the University of Technology, Sydney. I am an aquatic ecologist, which is pretty much the same as a marine biologist but for rivers. I look at the environmental and human influences on estuarine health and how to repair ecosystems and animal populations. How I got here? I really just followed what I liked doing. Science, and going outside.

My career highlights include working in Cambodia, Canada and the USA and receiving a scholarship to continue my work.

My tips for current students are to work hard at what you like doing, have a go at the stuff you do not. You might find it is not that bad.