October 23, 2014
Little Einsteins make big bang at Young Scientist Awards
Close to a hundred school students from around New South Wales will converge on UOW on Monday 27 October for the annual Young Scientist Awards.
A major initiative of the Science Teachers’ Association of New South Wales, the Awards aim to foster innovation, creativity and a love of science in children from Kindergarten to Year 12.
“The scheme aims to stimulate an ongoing interest in science, promotes involvement in the process and communication of science and celebrates the exemplary science carried out by young people in NSW schools,” Maree Woods, President of the Science Teachers’ Association of New South Wales, said.
UOW is the major sponsor of the 2014 event, in which more than $10,000 will be awarded. One student will be named the Young Scientist of the Year and will win $1000. Two students from Years 9-12 will win the UOW sponsored Intel ISEF Prize, which will see them travel to Pittsburgh, USA, in May next year to represent Australia at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. A number of other awards, including the Primary Young Scientist Award and the Budding Young Scientist Award, will also be presented.
The Awards encourage students to either invent a new device that utilises technology in an original way to solve a need or problem or perform an open-ended scientific investigation about a topic that is of interest to them – from how a volcano erupts to the animals that live in the deep sea. Entries can be made by groups or individuals.
Professor Will Price, Executive Director of the Australian Institute for Innovative Materials (AIIM) at UOW, will be involved in the presentation of prizes on the night. Professor Price is a physical chemist and has worked in a range of industry sectors including food, pharmaceutical and energy. AIIM is carrying out world leading work in new materials including developing next generation battery systems for electric vehicles, solar cells and bionic medical implants
Professor Price said encouraging a curiosity for science in future generations is paramount to ensuring we are well equipped to deal with the challenges facing us in the future – from climate change and population growth to the depletion of natural resources.
Associate Professor James Wallman, a forensic entomologist at UOW’s Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, will give the keynote speech at the Awards. Professor Wallman has worked with the police on a number of murder investigations, including the high-profile Baden-Clay murder trial, determining the time of death by studying maggots on the deceased.
More information: stansw.asn.au/ys/
Event details: Science Teachers’ Association of New South Wales Young Scientist Awards Presentation Ceremony, Monday 27 October, 5:30 - 7:30pm, University of Wollongong’s Innovation Campus, Squires Way, Fairy Meadow, NSW.
Media contacts: For enquires about the event, please contact Stuart Garth, from the Science Teachers’ Association of NSW on +61 407 295 829. For general media enquires, contact Elise Pitt, Media & PR Officer, UOW, on +61 4221 3079, +61 422 959 953 or epitt@uow.edu.au.