From classroom to carbon: Ella Crowley’s internship with GeXLab

When UNE Rural Science student Ella Crowley joined GeXLab’s Armidale office in July, she wasn’t just starting an internship at one business; she was gaining insight into the broader UNE SRI start-up ecosystem.

Originally from Brisbane, Ella came to Armidale for boarding school, fell in love with agriculture, and never left. Now in the final year of her Bachelor of Rural Science, she jumped at the chance to spend two days a week with GeXLab through an internship sponsored by Origin Energy and delivered in partnership with the UNE SRI.

Working alongside founder Sam Duncan and team member Sophie, Ella found herself right in the middle of UNE SRI’s innovation lab, working inside a start-up where no two days looked the same. One moment, she was deep in soil testing results, or in one of “so, so many meetings!” and the next, she was learning how the software ticks.

“The carbon space is relatively new, so being able to work on that in practice has been invaluable,” Ella says. “It’s really sparked my interest in soil carbon. I’m considering pursuing an Honours project in this area now.”

The experience also opened doors beyond GeXLab. Through the SRI community, Ella connected with other founders and businesses, ranging from agtech to digital health platforms, giving her a real insight into the regional start-up space.

For other students, she has one piece of advice: take the leap. “It’s great personally and professionally. You build knowledge, discover new interests, and get to see how a workplace actually works. The SRI community has been so supportive.”

And this is just the beginning. Ella has already been offered the position of Data Analyst with GeXLab, starting in 2026, a role she’ll be able to take on remotely from Brisbane after graduation.

For UNE SRI, internships like this are about more than work experience. They’re about creating pathways and sparking curiosity, in alignment with the UNE’s commitment to an unconventional student experience. By pairing academic study with lived insight from the start-up ecosystem in the New England North West, internships like Ella’s show how education, research, and innovation can connect to create opportunities that extend well beyond the classroom.