With a variety of hands-on activities, lectures and facility tours, WA students had a fantastic opportunity this January to see real-world STEM in action and to consider their future careers.
Western Australian (WA) students participating in the 2021 NYSF Year 12 Program were thrilled to participate in three days of in-person STEM visits held at STEM organisations and universities around Perth.
In 2021, NYSF participants met over 180 STEM professionals online and attended over 60 digital events nationally including lectures, workshops, debates, career expos, experiments at home and social activities to meet like-minded peers across Australia.
The in-person STEM visit hubs were designed to expose NYSF students to a range of different STEM areas, professions and opportunities in their own home state. With a variety of hands-on activities, lectures and facility tours, WA students had a fantastic opportunity this January to see real-world STEM in action and to consider their future careers.
The University of Western Australia (UWA) showcased a range of STEM specialties, including engineering, mathematical sciences, earth and biology sciences, genetics and astronomy!
At BioBarcode, students worked on their pipetting skills and were tasked to amplify and separate two samples of Aussie mammal DNA to determine the difference between the two random samples. Across the UWA campus at the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), students met other NYSF Alumni and tried their hand at daytime astronomy by building a telescope to safely observe the sun and explored the multi-wavelength sky in virtual reality!
Participants finished up at UWA with a tour of the world-class EZONE building with the Faculty of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences and investigated microplastics in marine environments, and droughts and downpours with the Faculty of Earth and Biology.
At the Telethon Kids Institute NYSF Participants were challenged with the Lab Researcher Olympics, where their lab skills were put to the test against other teams! The session allowed for plenty of time to chat with researchers about their current projects, studies and STEM journeys.
At Curtin University, participants enjoyed an exciting hands-on visit that was packed with organic and physical sciences activities. They learnt about the science behind holograms, aircraft and built their teamwork skills through different challenges!
Next, participants explored the exhibits at Western Australia Museum Boola Bardip, including their innovations exhibit, which showcased amazing ideas around the themes of thinking, doing and changing.
At Murdoch University, NYSF participants had a campus tour and then headed into the Forensic Science lab to experience a range of hands-on activities around facial reconstruction and analysis of evidence.
The final destination for WA participants was the Scitech Discovery Centre, where they experienced the planetarium show 'Capturing the Cosmos' and discovered new astronomy being done under the breathtaking skies of the Australian outback.
Thank you to the host organisations in Perth, who provided NYSF participants with life-changing and exciting STEM experiences!
This is part of a series of articles on the hubs that were offered as part of the 2021 NYSF Year 12 Program STEM Visit Days 13-15 January.
Thank you to all the NYSF Partners for supporting the 2021 NYSF Year 12 Program.
