Autumn has arrived in Canberra, reminding us how much of the year is gone already. The leaves are changing colour and we are turning our attention to next year’s Sessions.
Applications for 2015 opened on 1 April and students have been making enquiries. This emphasises the important role that the Rotary partnership plays and how effective Rotary members' involvement is in not only the vital role of selecting students to attend Sessions in January, but increasing awareness about the program. Thank you once again Rotary!
We are also having a hard look at the strategic direction of the NYSF. At a time when there is increasing focus on whether our economy will have enough STEM professionals in the future, programs such as the NYSF are even more relevant because they provide exposure for young people to a wide range of science and technology-related fields, and also a greater understanding of the increasing points of intersection among various disciplines. How well we are achieving this needs to be constantly considered.
And on the topic of intersections, along with several members of the office staff and Council, I was fortunate enough to attend the launch of a great collaborative project - Australia's Future. The magazine profiles individual success stories in STEM areas across Australia and was led by the Australian Science Teachers Association (ASTA) and funded by the Office of the Chief Scientist for Australia, but also had the support of the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers, the Australian Mathematics Trust, Australian Science Innovations, the CSIRO, the National Mathematics Summer School and of course the National Youth Science Forum.
You can view the magazine online at: http://australiasfuture.com/
Craig Cormick