In June, NYSF hosted a Thank You morning tea for the providers of lab visits and site tours for the NYSF 2015 January Sessions. It was also an opportunity to officially welcome Madeline Cooper, the NYSF’s Manager, STEM Education to her new role.
“Madeline’s focus is to refresh the Education Program, starting with the January Sessions,” says NYSF Chief Executive Officer, Dr Damien Pearce. “We are taking the opportunity to review our priorities in what we are showing the students during the 12 days they are on Session, as well as identifying some emerging issues such as entrepreneurial thinking, and the importance and value of diversity in STEM that we believe they need to be thinking about, even though they are still at school. And we are hoping to fit in even more science, as well as continuing the social skills development and big picture views of the world that the program has been presenting for some time.”
Madeline holds degrees in Information Technology and American Studies from the ANU, and comes from a background in student recruitment and program administration.
"The biggest challenge in this role will be fitting in everything I’d like to include into the program, particularly for the January Sessions. We have such an amazing range of contributors already, and there’s a wealth of expertise both here in Canberra and further afield that I’d love to tap into.
"I’m particularly keen on showing students alternative career paths in STEM - not all people who 'do science' are in labs. An passion for STEM can lead you in an incredible range of directions, and NYSF is the perfect way to demonstrate this to students."
Chief Executive Dr Damien Pearce thanking Geoff Burchfield for his 10 year involvement with the NYSF both as Director and Program Adviser
The morning tea also provided an opportunity for the NYSF community to thank Geoff Burchfield for his ten-year involvement with the organisation both as Director (2006-13) and Program Adviser (2013-15). Geoff will be continuing his involvement in 2015 through the National Science Teachers’ Summer School, which is held in January, co-inciding with week two of Session A.