Daniel Salomone
Quarantine Officer, Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service

Qualifications: BSc (Tropical Marine Science) 2006

AS an island, Australia has a natural barrier against the incursion of pests and disease – a barrier this UQ Science graduate works to preserve on a daily basis. Daniel Salomone is a quarantine officer with the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS), based at Brisbane International Airport. There, he spends his time inspecting different commodities that people import into Australia, and helping to manage the risks associated with the entry of exotic pests, weeds and diseases – which have the potential to kill thousands of native animals and plants, or severely harm entire ecosystems and, consequently, the economy.

“I really enjoy going to work every day and being presented with different weird, wonderful and interesting commodities from all over the world,” Daniel says. “When I assess a commodity as not meeting quarantine requirements, the knowledge that I have helped protect something as unique as Australia is very rewarding.”

Daniel, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science (tropical marine science) in 2006, says he enriched his major by choosing to study a variety of botany subjects. “I have always wanted to help contribute to the greater good and after learning in-depth about AQIS and its goals, I set out to complete subjects that would aid me in my quest,” he says.

Daniel says without the “opportunity and flexibility” UQ gave him to study different subjects, he would not have achieved what he has to date. “I am now where I want to be: working for AQIS to help protect something that I am extremely passionate about – Australia’s ecosystems.”