Turning a passion into a future: Dane’s story

Posted on 25 August 2026 • Student stories

We believe some student stories deserve to be made into a movie. That’s why The Open University teamed up with LADbible to transform Dane’s story into a film-style trailer. The movie might not be real, but it’s inspired by true events. Read on to discover the experiences, ambitions and achievements behind Dane’s story below… 

Ever wondered if the thing you’re interested in could actually shape what you do in the future? Growing up, while others were interested in football or pop stars, Dane was drawn to fossils and natural history.  

He watched David Attenborough documentaries religiously and dreamed of becoming a palaeontologist. The ambition was there. He just wasn’t sure what route could take him to where he wanted to go.

“Nobody could really advise me on what the path was to become this,” explains Dane.

Without knowing how to turn that dream into a career, Dane ended up working a mix of jobs. But his fascination with palaeontology never disappeared. 

Chasing a childhood dream 

Everything changed when Dane was about to become a father. 

“I was thinking a lot about what example I want to set. I really want to be able to tell my kid to follow her dreams and be the person that she wants to be. And it got to me – I haven’t really done it myself.” 

Dane began exploring opportunities to get him closer to his dream career. But struggled to find a local university that matched his interests or fit his busy schedule – until he discovered The Open University (OU). 

Choosing an OU Natural Sciences degree gave Dane the flexibility to study without putting his life on hold. He’s able to combine studying online with family life, freelance work and a part-time role at a museum. 

He’s already used his studies as a platform to seek out opportunities of his own. He’s now working as part of a museum education team, running events and taking part in science outreach. 

“Being on this course has opened me up to opportunities to do things I’ve always wanted to do from digging on fossil sites to wildlife surveys,” he shares.  

“All of these things which a few years ago would have been completely beyond what I thought was achievable.” 

More than a degree 

Dane’s even found himself meeting archaeologists whose work he’d known and admired long before starting his degree. 

And on a fossil dig in Poland, he uncovered something that had been buried for around 210 million years. For three days, he searched his small section of the site and found nothing. Then he lifted a slab of rock and underneath was a fossilised fang from a labyrinthodont – a type of giant prehistoric amphibian. For someone who had once struggled to see a way into this world, it was a pretty special moment. 

“There’s something really cosmically exciting about being the person to bring a fossil out of the ground.”

But this could just be the beginning. 

Dane is now approaching the end of his Natural Sciences degree – but there are plenty more things he wants to achieve. He’s working on an original research project in dinosaur ecomorphology with Dr Suresh Singh, a postgraduate researcher at The Open University and continuing to build experience through his museum work. 

Further ahead, he’d like to study for a PhD as another step towards his longer-term goal of working in palaeontology. 

Reflecting on how far he’s come, Dane says studying with The Open University has allowed him to do things he’s always wanted to. And to show employers that he’s serious about his subject.  

“Enrolling with The Open University is absolutely one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It’s allowed me to carry on working part-time and allowed me to look after my family and raise my daughter at the same time.

“I 100% wouldn’t be working in the museum if it wasn’t for the OU. Just being on the university course showed that I wasn’t just some guy who’s into fossils. This is something I’m invested in. 

“It’s allowed me to do some really cool stuff and meet people. Getting on a first name basis with people whose books I read as a kid is really crazy. Just like the degree, the extent to which my life has changed over the past few years is extraordinary.” 

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