In his own words, Corey Tutt has lived "a very interesting life".
The Kamilaroi man has been a zoo keeper, a travelling alpaca shearer and a mental health research assistant.
At 32, he's also an author, founder the not-for-profit Deadly Science and was the 2020 NSW Young Australian of the Year.
Growing up in regional Australia, Tutt always had a love of science but found little encouragement to pursue his dream.
"No one really thought the kids there could become scientists, especially Aboriginal kids," he told AAP.
He embarked on a journey that would take him from WA to New Zealand before eventually resettling in NSW to work at the University of Sydney.
By then, he'd already discovered how poorly remote schools were resourced and launched Deadly Science.
Working two jobs to manage the costs, he began purchasing and mailing books and other reading material box-by-box, school-by-school to needy communities.
"It just broke my heart because I saw myself in these kids," he said.
"I didn't have a lot of resources when I was young, in terms of books and things."
Deadly Science has since grown exponentially, with the charity now working with more than 800 schools and community organisations across the country.
Even so, some things will never alter for Tutt as founder, chief executive and budding social entrepreneur.
"I still get so much joy seeing kids just find love in science," he said.
"They get a box of resources, they open it up, they get that smile and that never changes for me."
Tutt has also penned three of his own books, with his third title, Caution! This Book Contains Deadly Reptiles, launched at Sydney's Taronga Zoo on Friday.
Creating the text fulfilled a childhood dream inspired by Harold Cogger's Reptiles In Colour.
"When I first started reading it, I got lost in it," he said.
"It really captured my imagination of what was possible."
Tutt mused long and hard about a text like Dr Cogger's but using the traditional names of the animals.
With illustrations of 68 reptiles, all hand painted by artist Ben Williams, Tutt wanted his creation to take readers on a journey through Country.
"We worked with 21 different language groups to get the names of reptiles and proper permissions to use them," he said.
"A child can go to Gamilaroi Country, then go to Wiradjuri Country and then to Badu in the Torres Strait and they can learn a bit about that Country and the landscape."
Now a new dad, Tutt has also revealed a fourth book in the works.
Written for his son as a way to share with him the gift of story, it is due out in August.
