Report on the National Youth Science Forum 2023
The National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) is a programme for students who are about to go into year 12.NYSF was held this year with the initial sessions being online and then a week of exclusive and interactive access to STEM identities and facilities between from the 16th-19th January, 2023 that most of us have only dreamt of. Some of the STEM organisations in Perth included CSIRO, MPL laboratories, GHD Airport Link, Harry Perkins Biodiscovery centre, Roy Hill and Telethon Kids
The visits build a lot of confidence and illustrate the many pathways to a great career in science and technology. This empowers students to achieve their personal best and find a support network as they start their final year at school. One participant said that he had planned to be a maths teacher, but once he had attended the ICRAR where he had learned about Dark Matter, whether or not aliens exist and many other topics, he has decided that he would like to study astromony instead.
One Rotarian is rostered on to be present at each visit, armed with a first aid kit, (while members of the NYSF Alumni spend time with the participants, helping them to get to know each other, and assisting in roll call etc.
As Rotarians with the required certificates (Current vaccination, Working with Children, First and CPR), we attended the ICRAR (Astromony) talk at UWA and the Shipwreck Museum in Fremantle, and the Pawsey Supercomputing sessions, and fund it a very rewarding experience.
Many thanks to Simon Cubitt the Chair of District 9465 NYSF for his ongoing organisation of NYSF in Perth.
PDG’s Marilyn & David Barton
Rotary Club of Melville
