Damascus College students in years 8 through year 10 were immersed in Applied Science with a series of workshops and local industry visits all designed to provide students with inspiration to participate in the Peter Doherty Science Awards (PDSA).
The PDSA encourages scientific thought by inspiring students to solve everyday issues. Students are encouraged to undertake research using the scientific method to ask questions and find answers. Professor Doherty’s intention in initiating this award was to encourage excellence in scientific thought and activity among secondary school students. Students also develop “soft skills” such as teamwork, logical and analytical thinking skills, and communication skills. Around 75 per cent of jobs require STEM skills, and it is the ability to apply these skills that will better prepare them for the future.
In the Art of Science workshop, students experimented using household items to test the effectiveness of different inhibitors on yeast growth and constructed a poster to communicate their findings.
In the Science Communication workshop, Catriona Nguyen-Robertson from Melbourne University and ScienceWorks shared her insider tricks of the trade, methods to overcome nerves and effective ways to communicate STEM.
On industry site visits to Haymes Paints manufacturing and Vitrafy Life Sciences, students saw first-hand how chemical, physical and biomedical science is used to produce high-quality paint products and revolutionise cryogenic cell preservation with cutting-edge technology.
Congratulations Sadie Jones, Haileigh Buttigieg, Zoe Newman, Taya Thiele, Lucy Leviston and Laura McDonald for your participation in the Girls in STEM term 3, we hope you gained a lot from this wonderful experience