I can’t wait to be part of another crazy January session and see a whole new batch of students inspired by the wonders of STEM.
A few weeks ago we welcomed our new Programs and Communications officer Georgia Hadlow to the NYSF team! We are very pleased to have a NYSF alumna on our team who can bring an inside knowledge about the program to improve the experience for future students. Since attending the NYSF, Georgia went on to study biological sciences in Perth and worked in science outreach performance before returning back to the NYSF!
"I first heard about NYSF when two past students gave a presentation to my science class in year 11. I remember they were so excited to share their experience, and this didn’t look like just any science camp, so I was hooked. I attended the NYSF 2013 Year 12 Program in Canberra and remember the non-stop energy that greeted me, the chanting, dancing and a crowd of fellow young scientist in a bit of a daze just like me. During the program I made some awesome friends and went to some inspiring lab visits. I remember going to the ANU biology department and being amazed by the indoor ecosystem they had created. The whole session really opened my eyes to the different faculties of Biological science and what waited for me at university.
In 2014 I was invited back to become a student staff leader and had a fabulous time bringing energy to STEM in the same way I had seen the previous year.
I went to the University of Western Australia and studied Zoology and Conservation Biology, where I met some of my closest friends today. In my third year of study I started volunteering at the Darling Range Wildlife Shelter and found my passion for wildlife rehabilitation. I continued to volunteer at the shelter for a further three years and learnt an incredible amount about wildlife health, rehabilitation and conservation. My advice for any environmental scientists currently or looking to study, is to find a volunteer or internship program which will not only broaden your horizons when you start applying for jobs, but allow you to test out the waters with your passion and learn skills that don’t come close to what you experience at university.
During my years at uni I was lucky enough to volunteer with the NYSF again on their STEM Explorer program as a youth advisor! It was really great to see the next generation figuring out what parts of STEM interested them and what innovation was happening in areas of STEM I personally wasn’t studying.
After graduation I was lucky enough to start working as a science presenter with the SciTech Discovery Centre state-wide team. In the 18 months that followed I travelled to schools all over Western Australia and teach students about all faculties of science. I worked with an amazingly supportive team and couldn’t have asked for a better experience to combine my love of science and performance. Unsurprisingly my favourite show involved combining animal and plant adaptation with slime!
Most recently I have landed back in Canberra to work with the incredible NYSF office staff, helping to organise the 2020 January Student programs and everything else in-between. I can’t wait to be part of another crazy January session and see a whole new batch of students inspired by the wonders of STEM."