Three Sutherland Shire high school students may become part of the next generation of scientists following their performances at the 1997 New South Wales Young Scientist of the Year Awards.
Simon Lawrence and Daniel Sorenson of Lucas Heights Community School and Elaine Clayton of Inaburra School all made the finals of this years competition.
Partly sponsored by ANSTO, the competition recognises scientific ability and aims to promote science education at primary and secondary school levels.
The Young Scientist 1997 Award is the competitions main focus, but other awards recognise excellence in creative writing, working models, multimedia and scientific research. Lucas Heights Community Schools Daniel Sorenson was runner-up in the Section 10 12
Multimedia category for his design The Hive Within. School mate Simon Lawrence was second runner-up in the same section with his Toothcare Experiment. Inaburra Schools Elaine Clayton was also second runner-up in the Section 10-12 Scientific Research Category for her entry on Detached Seedlings.
The awards were presented at the Powerhouse Museum last week with the special guest speaker being Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, a popular science show presenter on ABC Radio.
Dr Kruszelnicki hosted the grand finale of the evening, the announcement of the Young Scientist 1997 award. The prestigious award went to 14 year old Clifford Flax of Masada College, St Ives, for his study of Bones.
The aspiring young scientist beat more than 4000 entrants from 100 schools across the State with his artistic study which included bones and poems written to communicate the strength, beauty and use of bones and to describe their relationship to skin and organs. The competition is organised by the NSW Science Teachers Association. All finalists entries are currently on display at the Powerhouse Museum.
Published: 17/04/1997