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NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK

WITH countless events acrossthe state, this year’s NationalScience Week offers some-thing for everyone.

Established in 1997, Nation-al Science Week is Australia’sannual celebration of scienceand technology, with morethan one million people partic-ipating in science events acrossthe nation.

Despite its name, ScienceWeek runs throughout Au-gust, and there are opportunit-ies for Tasmanians to engagewith everything from astro-physics to zoology.

National Science WeekTasmania chairman AndyBaird said this year’s programwas aimed at the increasingawareness of the event in re-gional centres, by creatingsmaller-scale festivals in thoseareas.

This year Science Week willalso celebrate the fact that Tas-mania is punching above itsweight in areas such as marineand Antarctic science.

“We’re really focusing oncontemporary cutting-edgescience that Tasmanians areamong the world leaders in,”Mr Baird said.

He said he hoped to seepeople from all walks of life atScience Week events.

“It’s not just science for sci-entists, it’s science for thewhole community,” Mr Bairdsaid.

The Festival of Bright Ideasis back at Hobart’s PrincesWharf 1 on Saturday, offeringhands-on science activities,performances, workshops, ex-periments, conversations andmore.

Wildlife Spotter is a nation-wide program inviting peopleto become citizen scientists byidentifying quolls, Tasmaniandevils, cats and many more an-imals from the comfort ofhome.

Participants can help makereal contributions to science byidentifying animals in approxi-mately one million images

taken by automated camerasto help answer importantquestions about Australianwildlife.

Foodies have the chance todiscover the ancient art of fer-mentation at Fermented asAnything workshop at the Pi-geon Hole cafe in West Hobartfrom 2-4pm next Sunday (Au-gust 14).

Fermented as Anything willinvestigate why it is such a safeway to preserve food and hownaturally occurring microbestransform cabbage into sauer-kraut and vegetables into pick-les. Participants will also learnhow to make their own fer-ments using local products.

One Science Week eventthat has already been held wasthe Tasmanian RoboCup Jun-ior competition.

This involved Tasmanianstudents designing, buildingand programming robots todance, play soccer and performintricate rescue scenarios atthe University of Tasmania’sSandy Bay campus, in whatwas a fantastic day for all in-volved.

National Science Week issupported by the AustralianGovernment, as well as theCSIRO, the ABC and the Aus-tralian Science Teachers As-sociation.

To find out which eventsare happening near you, visitwww.scienceweek.net.au

Blazing a trail of bright ideasEDUCATIONAL: More than a million people will be taking part in National Science Week events around the country throughout this month.

SEARCH: Science Week will encourage locals to become wildlife spotters.

ELIZABETH COLLEGEkeep your pulse on science

For information and bookings visitelizabethcollege.tas.edu.au

This Inspiring Australia initiative is supported by the Australian Government as part of National Science Week.

natsciwktassciencetasmania#natsciwk

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NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK

Tapping in to young mindsNEUROSCIENTIST ReneePepper has a passion for nur-turing the minds of the nextgeneration of scientists.

Renee is one of a host ofemerging researchers takingpart in the Young Tassie Scien-tist program, which visitsschools around the state topromote science as part ofNational Science Week.

Currently studying a PhDat the Menzies Institute forMedical Research, Renee saysthe program is vital for helpingschoolchildren engage withscience.

“I think it’s really import-ant,’’ Renee said. “I think thatwhen I was a kid, if I hadn’t had

the influence of people teach-ing me about what kind of sci-ence there is out there, I mightnot have ended up where I am.

“I’m really glad that I didhave those people influencingme.”

The Young Tassie Scientistprogram has been helping toengage and motivate studentsabout science and science ca-reers since 2003.

It combines role models,hands-on activities and infor-mation on educational oppor-tunities and careers in orderto encourage young people tocontinue their studies inscience and also to make con-nections between studying

science and jobs and careers.Renee has been stunned at

the some of the in-depth ques-tions she has been asked.

“I’ve found it really reward-ing and exciting that kids areactually interested in science,”she said. “They are askingsome really great questionsthat really challenge me.

“I didn’t [expect those ques-tions]. It’s really refreshing toknow that kids are interestedin science and they actuallyhave some really thoughtfulquestions if you give them achance.”

Waimea Heights Grade 5student Max Mennitz said lis-tening to the Young Tassie Sci-

entists made him “much moreinterested” in science.

Max’s favourite part waslearning about dreams withRenee.

“She told us why some ofthe dreams we have are weirdand why some of them hap-pen,” he said.

Renee joked that her role asa Young Tassie Scientist was awelcome change from her day-to-day work.

“Usually I’m just in the lablooking around talking to my-self,” she said.

“But now I get to talk toother people, and people whoare actually really interested inwhat I’m doing.”

MENTOR: PhD student Renee Pepper, centre, teaches Waimea Heights students Sophie Hill, Lara King, Luke Soden and Max Mennitz the basics of neuroscience.

ST Mary’s College students will be among the dozens of stallholders thrilling visitors at this year’s Festival of Bright Ideas.

Part of National Science Week, the festival will be held at Hobart’s Princes Wharf 1 on August 13, with a host of stalls featuring hands-on activities, as well as performances, workshops, experiments, tours, and more.

St Mary’s Year 10 studentOlivia Eade enjoyed operating a stall at last year’s inaugural festival so much that she didn’t think twice when the opportunity arose to take part in this year’s edition.

Olivia, who aspires to studymedicine, said the Festival of Bright Ideas was a great place to learn more about science-related career paths.

“It’s pretty important because it opens your eyes to whole different fields,” she said.

“Looking at possible careeroptions and getting passionate about different areas that you might not have known about before is pretty cool.”

A perfect starting point for careers

ANYONE interested in caringfor or finding out more aboutAustralia’s majestic and en-dangered birds of prey can takeone of the raptor rehabilitationworkshops during NationalScience Week.

The workshops, which pro-vide a rare opportunity toglimpse the inner world of aworking wildlife refuge andoffer the chance to work withRaptor and Wildlife Refugefounder Craig Webb, are spe-cially discounted for thismonth.

The next workshop costs$50 per person and will be heldon August 20.

To book, email craigraptorrefuge@gmail.com

Rapt aboutraptors

Fellow Year 10 student Isobel Kuo is excited at the opportunity to connect with like-minded people.

“[I’m looking forward to] being able to talk to people who are interested in the same things that I am and being able to expand my knowledge,” she said.

Isobel believes it is important to understand science because of its wide-reaching real-world implications.

“It’s pivotal to our education … it’s a field that is part of everything in our lives. Science explains so much of

what our world is,” she said.One of the major festival

drawcards will be Ruben Meerman, the Surfing Scientist. Ruben is a surfer with a physics degree and a passion for all things scientific, and he has appeared on television shows including

Catalyst, Play School, Sleek Geeks and Roller Coaster.

Ruben will be investigatingtopics including quantum mechanics and evidence-based optimism in sessions throughout the day. Astro-historian Amy Shira Teitel and liquid nitrogen tamer

Jeremy Just will be among the other guests.

The event is free and includes giant drone racing, custom electric vehicles, an amazing wiggly water wave, and a sailing simulator.

To find out more, visit www.scienceweek.net.au

CHALLENGING ACTIVITIES: St Mary's College Year 10 science students, from left, Lily Ward, Isobel Kuo, Kaitlin Mitchell and Olivia Eade are looking forward to participating in this year’s Festival of Bright Ideas at Hobart’s Princes Wharf. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

Ignite Your Imagination is an Australian Government Inspiring Australia Initiative in conjunction with the Department of State Growth and the Faculty of Science,

Engineering and Technology at the University of Tasmania.

All over Tasmania there are interesting and fun science events happening every day, being run by dedicated and talented people, for the public, schools and community.

To find out about events happening near you, or to list your own event, visit:

www.whysci.org.au

Ignite Your Imagination

OPEN DAY 7 August 10am – 3pm HOBART | LAUNCESTON | CRADLE COAST

Science careers start here.Come to Open Day and learn how to turn your interest in science, engineering and technology into a rewarding career.– Presentations on all study options and career opportunities.

– Hands-on activities including drones and robots, rocket launches, 3D printing, thermal imaging, and much more!

– Facility tours through our laboratories covering topics such as virtual reality, engineering, chemistry and biological sciences.

utas.edu.au/opendayCRICOS Provider Code: 00568B