Over 100 of Australia’s brightest Year-12 students visited ANSTO recently as part of the National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) aimed at sparking interest in a career in the sciences.
The tour of ANSTO's Lucas Heights campus in the Sutherland Shire gave students first-hand experience of nuclear science and technology visiting the display of Australia's only research reactor - OPAL (within the reactor visiting hall), and the Neutron Guide Hall and ANSTO's accelerators.
These scientific instruments enable both local and international researchers to conduct a number of important studies across health, environment and industry from understanding the molecular structure of materials, through exploring human impacts on our environment, to producing nuclear medicine primarily used for diagnosis of heart disease and cancers.
A scientist career panel including research scientists Dr Tracy Hanley, James Hardiman and Dr Tom Cresswell fielded questions about what it’s like to be a scientist. What subjects to take at university, whether there were many opportunities for travel, and how to achieve a work-life balance were amongst the many questions asked by the visiting young science buffs.
Instrument Scientist for Koala - the laue diffractometer - Dr Alison Edwards also fielded career questions at ANSTO's Bragg Institute and explained the research capabilities of the Neutron Guide Hall that accommodates a broad range of needs.
ANSTO is proud of to be a long-term sponsor of the NYSF program, coordinated locally all around Australia by the Rotary Districts. The program aims to expose high school students to a wide range of study and career opportunities in science, technology and engineering. The program consists of a mix of scientific, formal, personal development, and social activities.
The NYSF is the only program in Australia that offers students currently in Year 11 and 12 the chance to test-drive a wide range of universities and careers in the sciences. For more information regarding this program please visit the NYSF website.