About Me

My name is Sarah Baker-Goldsmith, and I was born on 23 August 1980 in Ballarat, where I lived for the first 16 years of my life. I have four younger siblings: one brother, Nick, and my sisters Laura, Erica and Jessica. My mother is the western area manager for WorkCover (only two people between her and the chief executive!) and my dad is a paymaster for McCains in Wendouree. I attended St Patrick's Primary School and Mt Clear Secondary College. We used to live right in the middle of the city, near the hospitals, and then we moved out to Mount Clear when I was about 8. I moved to Melbourne at the start of 1997 to attend Monash University, where I boarded with Robyn Gillis, one of my mother's friends, for the first year. Robyn is a Health and Safety Manager for PBR Automotive, and we lived in Carnegie for about eight months before she bought a flat in McKinnon (only 50 metres from East Brighton!) where I stayed with her for the last two months or so of the academic year. Wanting to have new experiences I decided to move into the university halls of residence, where I remain to this day. I usually end up going home to Ballarat every fortnight or so on average, depending on what football or cricket is being played.

Last year I fulfilled all requirements for the awarding of the Bachelor of Science (Science Scholar Program) degree, which is basically a science degree with more flexibility. I entered this degree direct from VCE, with the selection process consisiting of the TER and a recommendation from my secondary school principal. I undertook the following subjects from these departments:

CHEMISTRY
• Chm2011/2022 - Second Year Chemistry (8 points a semester = 16 points)
• Chm3011/3022 - Third Year Chemistry (12 points a semester = 24 points)

PHYSICS
• Phs1011/1022 - First Year Chemistry (6 points a semester = 12 points)

MATHEMATICS
• Map2021 - Groups and Symmetry (4 points a semester)
• Mat2020 - Linear Mathematics (4 points a semester)
• Mat2051 - Introductory Analysis (4 points a semester)
• Map2032 - Discrete Mathematics II (4 points a semester)
• Mat2030 - Calculus of Several Variables (4 points a semester)
• Mat2040 - Differential Equations (4 points a semester)
• Mat3011 - Complex Analysis with Applicatiions (4 points a semester)
• Mat3031 - Ordinary Differential Equations (4 points a semester)
• Mat3091 - Number Theory (4 points a semester)
• Mat3022 - Partial Differential Equations (4 points a semester)
• Mat3072 - Geometry and Analysis (4 points a semester)
• Mat3910 - Integral Transforms and the Calculus of Variations (4 points a semester)

Thus with the up to 48 points of first year credit obtained in the Science Scholar Program I have obtained the 144 points required for award of a science degree. I have also obtained a double major in the areas of Chemistry and Mathematics.

This year (1999) I have decided to undertake further study to obtain my Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree, and I intend to obtain honours in the Chemistry field. The Chemistry honours program is highly research based with some coursework in the first semester. I am undertaking tandem mass spectrometry studies on azine fragment ions under the supervision of Dr. Richard Morrison. I am also demonstrating in the first year laboratories and am acting as a mentor for first year science students. This is my Semester 1 timetable for this year.

to be continued....