Scientists in schools
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| Group brainstorm session at ANSTO |
Scientists in Schools is an exciting educational program designed to give primary and secondary students exposure to working scientists in a classroom setting.
Backed by the Chief Scientist of Australia and administered by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), the program began in 2007 with a target of 100 teacher-scientist partnerships.
Open to primary and secondary schools throughout Australia, the program now involves more than 700 professional partnerships and is well regarded because it encourages scientists and teachers to collaborate on producing classroom content to suit their individual needs and interests.
Today, more than 18 ANSTO scientists are registered in the program, contributing valuable ideas and topical presentations on a range of topics. In turn, they get a fresh perspective on science from their contact with the classroom environment.
Following are short profiles on six ANSTO scientists currently involved in the program: Dr Henk Heijnis, Dr Tracey Hanley, Andrew Jenkinson, Maria Prior , Dr Tim Payne , and Ed Stelcer.
If you would like more information, or to invite an ANSTO scientist to speak at your school, email: enquiries@ansto.gov.au.
Dr Henk Heijnis, Institute for Environmental Research
“Even before I became involved in the Scientists in School program I used to visit primary schools in Western Sydney to talk about my experiences in Antarctica. I have been involved in the SiS program from the beginning, and have teamed up with Penrith High School.
“The highlight of the program so far, is the three seminars I did at Penrith recently, and the instant feedback I got from students. It is very rewarding to see some of the students lingering around after the seminar, busting to ask me a question about a career in science or things like, ‘How to get to the Galapagos Island to do research?’
“I think it is very important to show young people that a science career can be very rewarding and, above all, exciting and interesting.”
*Dr Henk Heijnis is an Adjunct Professor in Environmental Science at the University of Technology, Sydney. At ANSTO he leads the Nuclear Methods in Earth Systems project, which utilises nuclear techniques to study the health of the environment.
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Dr Tracey Hanley, Bragg Institute
"I became involved in Scientists in Schools program when it was in the pilot phase. I enjoy telling people about science and believe the program represents a great way to engage students, including my own children.
"I have been involved in the program for more than two years now, and it is delightful to think that some of the students I was first involved with have since gone on to pursue a career in science.
"I continue to enjoy interacting with young adults who have so much enthusiasm. The program provides a great opportunity to show students how science is a part of our daily lives."
* Dr Tracey Hanley is a research scientist within ANSTO's Bragg Institute and specialises in the field of small-angle scattering - a powerful technique for looking at the sizes and structures of objects on the nanoscale, such as polymer molecules, biological molecules, defect structures in metals and ceramics, pores in rocks and magnetic clusters, among other things.
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Andrew Jenkinson, Institute of Environmental Research
"I have always had an interest in the educational side of science and a few years ago I decided to formalise this with a teaching qualification. When an opportunity arose to put some theory into practice through the Scientists in Schools program, I jumped at it.
"I was also interested in taking a more active role in the science education of my own children and, by joining the program, I have been able to share in their classroom experience as well as enjoying the obvious enthusiasm that young people have for science.
"Being naturally inquisitive, the children often respond strongly to the classroom demonstrations and come up with all sorts of interesting and thought-provoking questions. It is a great scheme that I recommend to other scientists."
* Andrew Jenkinson works in the field of accelerator science, analysing and dating samples for their carbon-14 content, with the results used in a wide range of applications including archaeology, climate change research, biomedical and environmental applications.
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Maria Prior, Occupational Hygiene and Safety Services
"I became involved in the Scientists in Schools Program in 2007 because I wanted to make a difference in how students perceive science and scientists. I wanted to share my experience and to explain that, just because you start off with a degree in science, doesn't necessarily mean you will end up being a scientist. There are so many other interesting career options.
"I also believe that scientists can be a great resource for teachers. I enjoyed going out to meet the teachers and students at my first school, building a relationship and getting their feedback.
"I took a whole lot of props with me and let the students undertake some basic experiments. That led to a whole lot of other questions, which I enjoyed answering. It is really refreshing to hear new ideas and perspectives, and to see the interest in the students' faces. It has been a really satisfying experience so far and I encourage other scientists to get involved in the program."
* Maria Prior is the Leader of Occupational Hygiene and Safety Services at ANSTO. Her responsibilities include providing safety advice and managing the organisations OHSE Management System, Site Hygiene Monitoring Program and Emergency Planning and Response.
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Ed Stelcer, Institute of Enviornmental Research
"I recently became involved with Scientists in Schools because I believe that people working in science should not only contribute to broader community through science, but also through assisting teachers. I feel fortunate to be in the position I'm in and believe that I should now give something back to the community.
"My involvement in the Scientists in Schools program is an extension of my involvement in the Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering (AINSIE) Winter School program, where talented students from all over Australia are given an opportunity to access the expertise of ANSTO scientists, conduct experiments and tour the facilities.
"I have really enjoyed working with the students and getting a fresh perspective. It takes me out of the everyday and gives me great satisfaction. I look forward to my future involvement with specific schools and developing relevant and stimulating content for the classroom."
* Ed Stelcer is an instrument scientist with ANSTO Institute of Environmental Research. His role is to provide professional advice and support for ANSTO's accelerator and ion beam instruments and facilities. He assists in the management of the day-to-day operation of the accelerator beam-line systems, including analysis of measured samples, direct commercial customer interactions and supervision of effective and trouble-free operation of the aerosol sampling laboratory.
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Dr Tim Payne, Institute of Environmenal Research
"I became involved with Scientists in Schools because I felt it was helpful to have 'real' scientists explaining what their lives are about and possibly guiding students in their career choices.
"I believe that knowledge from working scientists can help students make more informed career choices, whether they choose to work in science or not. "They can base that decision on information that is additional to what might be gained from their teachers, or from TV shows such as Crime Scene Investigation or Mythbusters. I enjoy meeting the students, as they are mostly enthusiastic and have interesting perspectives on issues."
* Dr Tim Payne works within ANSTO's Institute for Environmental Research where he leads a research project looking at issues relating to radioactive waste management and contaminated sites. He has contributed to numerous published scientific papers and research reports, and provides technical advice to national and international organisations.
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