Finlay Anderson, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Science at the weekend, kept his parents – Otago Professors Vivienne and Greg Anderson – on side with his double degree.
Graduate Finlay Anderson is used to people commenting on his “unusual” choice of majors, but to him the combination makes perfect sense.
Finlay graduated at the weekend with a Bachelor of Arts and Science (BASc) with a double degree in microbiology and immunology, and politics.
“Initially I couldn’t decide if I preferred sciences or humanities,” Finlay says.
“Then, during my first year, Otago introduced the four-year BASc, which makes doing a double degree more manageable. So, I chose to do this and combine the two.”
During Covid times, it became clear to Finlay how intertwined politics and microbiology are, he says.
“I realised there are major gaps in how scientific research gets translated to reality because, while science and policy directly influence each other, they’re often focused on independently.
“I think taking an interdisciplinary path makes a lot of sense nowadays and this is being reflected more and more in universities.”
Finlay had another excellent reason for keeping one foot in each camp – his parents are both academics in different Divisions at Otago.
His mother Professor Vivienne Anderson is Dean of the College of Education while his father Professor Greg Anderson is head of the Anatomy department.
“I think because my mum is in Humanities and my dad is in Science they argue vicariously through my degree choice. But having two professors as parents definitely made navigating the academic environment a lot easier.
“I run into them sometimes, which I always enjoy, but it is a bit of a strange dynamic when most of my mates come from other parts of the country and live away from their home city.”
Finlay, who received a University of Otago Leaders of Tomorrow Entrance Scholarship, chose Otago on its own merits though, particularly for its combination of academic distinction, the fun culture, and for being a great base for adventures, he says.
“As an undergrad, I got involved in a bunch of the extracurricular programmes on offer. I volunteered with UniCrew doing the Aspire programme, did a bunch of rock climbing with the tramping club and also got involved with Startup Dunedin through the Audacious programme.
“I’m also currently on the exec of Chiasma, a non-profit that helps connect STEM students with industry.”
One of the absolute highlights of his time as an undergrad though was going on an Otago Global Student Exchange to the National University of Singapore (NUS).
Finlay Anderson’s exchange to Singapore was one of the highlights of his time as an undergrad.
“Because of the way our semesters line up, I was able to go a month early and backpack from the bottom to the top of Vietnam.
“This was incredibly exciting – experiencing a new culture, meeting different people, traveling alone. And challenging – a brutal stomach bug trapped me in a ten-person dorm with one toilet for a week, having to fit all my belongings for a semester exchange in a 40-litre hiking pack and dragging this across the country.”
Finlay needed to take only a few papers during his exchange, which meant he could focus on experiencing the culture of Singapore as well as the university environment.
“I explored all over the island – it’s not that big – and indulged in amazing food, all while studying interesting subjects I wouldn’t have studied back home, such as global health, Bahasa Indonesia, genomics and biomedical applications.
“I also joined a bunch of university clubs and, when I could, I’d travel to neighbouring countries with other exchange students.”
After his exchange, Finlay travelled to Nepal with the NUS mountaineering team to hike up a remote valley climb – a 5,750m mountain in the Himalayas.
“Training for this on an equatorial island with a 160m hill as its highest point, and as the only foreigner in the team, was a pretty unique experience.”
He would 110 per cent recommend an exchange to other tauira, he says.
“Paying the same fees as back home makes it an affordable way to travel as a student and means you don’t have to put your degree on hold. A lot of foreign unis have different academic opportunities that you can explore too.
“It’s also a great way to be exposed to different cultures and ways of life, which I think is very important. I was really struck with how different Aotearoa is to the rest of the world – how unique and isolated it is – but also how influential and respected we are on the international stage.”
Finlay is currently completing his honours degree in microbiology. He is especially interested in areas that combine both biological and social science, he says.
“This started with a summer studentship in Associate Professor Htin Aung’s lab developing an accessible genomics-based diagnostic for tuberculosis to be used in resource-limited settings.
“I had to learn a lot of new molecular concepts and lab protocols but also had to do a lot of research on the sociopolitical contexts and inequities that drive this disease.”
His honours project builds on this work, further developing and refining a diagnostic for drug-resistant tuberculosis.
“I liked the focus on creating direct solutions for a problem that’s complex not just at a molecular level but at a social level also. Studying tuberculosis, which is often termed a ‘disease of the poor’, introduced me to areas where interdisciplinary approaches are essential, such as global health and epidemiology.
“This opened up new opportunities like getting involved with the Otago Foreign Policy School on Global Health.”
After he finishes his studies, Finlay plans to explore other places and continue to develop his skills in translational genomics.
“Ultimately, I’d like to see this lead to positive change in how we navigate health in Aotearoa and globally,” he says.
- Kōrero by Internal Communications Adviser Laura Hewson
Life at Otago
At Otago, there are countless ways to immerse yourself in student life and make the most of your university experience.
Find out more