[Catalist] Science Conference for STEM educators - 4 December - DON'T MISS OUT

[Emma Donnelly]

It’s nearly Future Science time and this year’s program is AWESOME!

Places are limited  - so register now to ensure you don’t miss out!

Date: 4 December 2015
Time: 8.15am to 5ish
Location: Curtin University, Bentley, WA
Cost: STAWA members - $180  / STAWA non-members: $250   / Lab techs and students (special rate): $104
For more info or to register: http://stawa.net/events-2/future-science-2015/

Our keynotes and speakers this year include:

Keynote
Dr Vanessa Rauland
Curtin University Sustainability Policy (CUSP) Institute, Curtin University
Taking carbon down a notch: sustainable schools and communities

The Low Carbon Schools Pilot Program assists schools to improve the sustainability and operating efficiency of their schools whilst reducing their carbon footprint. Co-director of the program and Curtin researcher Dr Vanessa Rauland will explain how the program came to be and how we can lower carbon – in schools, housing and cities.

Session A1
Dr Judith Lichtenzveig
Centre for Crop and Disease Management (CCDM), Curtin University
Pulses – keeping our farms and plates on the beat

Legume crops such as pulses (e.g. chickpea, field pea, lentil and faba bean) are beneficial to human health as nutritious foods and are beneficial to improving the sustainability in agriculture. Crops interact with microbial “friends” and “foes”. Legumes form unique symbiotic interactions with bacteria, which lead to nitrogen fixation and have developed defense strategies to resist microbial pathogens. Using modern genetic techniques Judith’s team is decoding the molecular basis of the plant-microbe interactions. The talk will focus on Mendel’s humble pea plant as part of the celebration of 150 years from his landmark publications in genetics and in preparation for “2016 International Year of the Pulses”

Session A2
Dr Christine Erbe
Centre for Marine Science and Technology (CMST), Curtin University

Listening to the Ocean: How underwater sound can help with everything from finding missing aircraft to learning about the habits of blue whales

We tend to think of the ocean as a bright, quiet place, but that is because our experience is limited to very shallow depths, and our ears are poor at hearing water-borne sound.  Sunlight only penetrates the very top layer of the ocean, so the vast majority of its enormous volume is dark.  It is also noisy, with many marine animals having evolved ways to make up for the lack of light by using sound instead, and then having to compete with a wide variety of other sounds ranging from breaking waves, to undersea earthquakes and noisy ships.

This talk will introduce you to some of the fundamentals of how sound travels through the ocean and some of the ways we can use it to find out more about what goes on in the otherwise impenetrable depths.  I will draw on examples from research being carried out at Curtin's Centre for Marine Science and Technology, including the ongoing search for the missing airliner, MH370, studies of the movements of great whales, and listening to ice cracking around Antarctica.

Session A3
Dr Rachel Sheffield and Dr Susan Blackley
School of Education, Curtin University

What has STEM education ever done for us?


This presentation briefly recounts the 15 year history of STEM, explaining the source of the continued promotion of STEM education, and national and international approaches.

We challenge the notion of STEM as teaching Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in unconnected silos, and re-imagine STEM in new yet practical ways. The presenters will look to the future and reveal how STEM education could be taken forward authentically and practically in our classrooms by focussing upon the E in STEM.

Adapted from the STEM SIG Symposia, AARE 2015 (1-3 December 2015)

Symposia team: Dr Susan Blackley, Dr Audrey Cooke, Dr Jennifer Howell, Dr Russell Tytler, Dr Rachel Sheffield, Dr Rebecca Walker.

Session A4
Young Tall Poppies Science Awards 2015 - WA
Australian Institute of Policy & Science

The prestigious annual Young Tall Poppy Science Awards aim to recognise the achievements of Australia’s outstanding young scientific researchers and communicators.

The Award winners (‘Tall Poppies’) participate in education and community outreach programs in which they become role models to inspire school students and the broader community about the possibilities of science.

In this session you will attend the awards and meet the next generation of top WA Scientists and communicators. You’ll hear from each finalist about their passion for science and their research.

If you’d like a snapshot of WA research – then this session is for you.


Session A5
LABNETWEST AGM



See you there!

Emma

Emma Donnelly

Science Outreach Manager | Faculty Science and Engineering

Curtin University
Tel | +61 8 9266 1021
Fax | +61 8 9266 2021
Office | Building 314 Room 122

Email | e.donnelly at curtin.edu.au<applewebdata://7F2B93E1-E3F9-48E4-9CA7-6BA57BE6EE67/e.donnelly@curtin.edu.au>
Web | http://scieng.curtin.edu.au/outreach/
Postal address | GPO Box U1987, Perth, Western Australia, 6845

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Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology.
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J

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