Lily Liang graduated with a BSc majoring in mathematics and psychology. She is now Deputy Commissioner for the Queensland Trade and Investment Office, based in Taiwan.

I chose UNSW because I felt it had technical strength and was practically oriented. My interest was in psychology but I majored in mathematics because I had done very well in maths at school.

I really enjoyed most of my classes, and some very close, quality interaction with some of my lecturers. My experiences in the Physics and Chemistry labs were daunting but interesting and valuable as hands-on learning.

I got recruited straight from campus to work for the Commonwealth Bank, but it only took me a month and a half to realise banking wasn't for me. I then got a job based at Westmead Hospital researching the psycho-social needs of cancer patients. I had intended to pursue a career in psychology, but I found I couldn't divorce myself enough emotionally from my clients. It wasn't the right career for me, so I looked for other sectors where I could use my bilingual and inter-personal skills.

Apart from the managerial responsibilities in the office, my role is to provide business consultancy to clients in Taiwan and Queensland and liaison between the Taiwanese and Queensland state government agencies, promoting trade and investment links. You would be amazed, although my job now is not specifically related to science, how many of my Science skills still serve me and my clients well. I often have clients in medical or agricultural fields and my ability to relate to them and use the right technical terminology stems from my Science degree.

I believe the analytical train of thought and skills a student develops from a Science degree are essential attributes in today's world.