Science Festival High School Program by Australian Museum

AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM

WELCOME

TO THE 2017 SYDNEY SCIENCE FESTIVAL AT THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM Join us as we celebrate 190 years of the Australian Museum, and encourage future generations to explore and embrace the wonders of science. We are proud to be co-producing the Sydney Science Festival 2017 with the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences. Together we are showcasing a range of events that are celebrating the National Science Week theme of ‘Future Earth’, and the innovation and achievements of the Australian scientific community. The Festival promises to reveal new scientific wonders and real-world applications for you and your students to explore.

CONTENTS EXPO 2 Workshops 4 Shows 11 Talks 15 Exhibitions 20 The Team 22

2017 SYDNEY SCIENCE FESTIVAL AT THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM HIGH SCHOOL

The Science Festival brings together science educators, communicators and professionals from all across Australia to provide an immersive and interactive educational experience for students and teachers alike. The expertise and enthusiasm of the community that has grown around the Australian Museum and the Science Festival has made it a firm favourite of schools, and the science education highlight of our year! Hundreds of Australia’s brightest and best come together to offer a huge range of diverse hands-on activities, and inspiring and interactive shows. The Science Expo lets students and teachers have one-on-one conversations with science industry professionals, and see applications of science to better understand how it benefits our everyday lives.

The Science Festival could not exist without the support and participation of the many organisations and individuals who help ensure its high quality and diverse activities. I would particularly like to extend sincere thanks to our Major Partner 3M Australia and Festival Partner ANSTO; our Education Partners Macquarie University, University of New South Wales, University of Sydney, University of Technology Sydney; our Supporting Partner Inspiring Australia and of course to all our wonderful volunteers and science engagement and event staff who’ve worked so hard to develop such a diverse program. I would also like to extend our warmest thanks to you — teachers and science supporters. Your passion for supporting students as they engage with STEAM is creating a generation of thinkers who aren’t afraid to find innovative ways to improve the quality of life for their communities. Help us celebrate science education and show what a generation of informed and empowered students can bring to our community.

Kim McKay AO Executive Director & CEO Australian Museum

2017 SYDNEY SCIENCE FESTIVAL AT THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM HIGH SCHOOL

EXPO

SCIENCE EXPO MEET THE EXPERTS

Take a hands-on approach to science and meet the experts! The Expo gives students an immersive space where they can ask all the hard questions, try out some science experiments and investigate the science they encounter every day. Australiaâ€™s top science institutions and organsations come together to provide students with interactive booths where they can explore STEM and get excited about the future of Science. Highlights this year focus on global sustainability science and the future of Earth. PRESENTERS: Multiple organisations including the Australian Museum, 3M, ANSTO, Macquarie University, University of Technology Sydney, University of New South Wales, Sydney University, Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Jenolan Caves, Modfab 3D Printing, Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute, Australian National Maritime Museum Sydney Water, Australian Science Innovations, Australian National Fabrication Facility, Joint Academic Microbiology Seminars and more.

2017 SYDNEY SCIENCE FESTIVAL AT THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM HIGH SCHOOL

WORKSHOPS

CLIMATE CHANGE

HOW TO BE A PHYSICIST

Climate change is one of the greatest threats to humanity and biodiversity. But how do scientists know climate change is happening, and how do they measure its impact on ecosystems? In this hands-on session, learn why sea levels are rising, the oceans’ chemistry is changing and how scientists collect data to monitor the health of the Great Barrier Reef.

What tools and tricks do Physicists use? How do we “do” Physics and who does it? Discover how the process of Physics works by doing real science with real scientists. From optics to superconductors, you’ll see the process of Physics from start to finish. Experimentation, discovery and Q&Aall in the name of Physics.

PRESENTER: Australian Museum

POLYMERS – THE SCIENCE OF ‘MANY PIECES’

ABORIGINAL BUSH FOOD & MEDICINE

The word ‘polymer’ comes from the Greek ‘poly’ meaning ‘many’, and ‘mer’ meaning ‘piece’. What is a polymer? Are they synthetic, biological or both? Students will learn about natural polymers such as skin, hair, cotton and wool, as well as manufactured polymers like plastics, glues and rubber. Discover the key concepts of polymer chemistry.

Where could you get something to cure your headache before we had chemists? How do you get food without a supermarket? Learn how Aboriginal Australian’s survived thousands of years before modern conveniences were available, and see how traditional knowledge compares to what we know from Western science. Come along and learn how to let the land provide for you.

PRESENTER: 3M Australia

PRESENTERS: Australian Museum

A “MINER” INSICION How can you tell the age and sex of a bird? Find out first hand as you dissect a specimen to identify its internal organs and help with a Museum science project. Did you know that birds have only a single ovary, and that their testes shrink when not in use? You will learn to sex birds and collect sterile tissue samples for future DNA analysis. At the same time, you will have an opportunity to explore the anatomical plan of birds and how it is related to life in the air. PRESENTER: Australian Museum Research Institute

2017 SYDNEY SCIENCE FESTIVAL AT THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM HIGH SCHOOL

PRESENTER: University of Sydney

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE FROG KIND This interactive workshop will give you the opportunity to explore the wonderful world of frogs. From their fascinating life cycle to their place in our environment and the role you can play in helping them survive in the wild, we will be learning about frog biology and frog-related environmental science. Are you ready to get up close and personal with some of Australia’s largest and most interesting frogs? PRESENTER: Frog and Tadpole Study Group

2017 SYDNEY SCIENCE FESTIVAL AT THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM HIGH SCHOOL

WORKSHOPS

AUSTRALIA’S FIRST SCIENTISTS

GET INTO YOUR HEADSPACE

Did you know Indigenous Australians were astronomers, geologists, physicists, biologists and chemists long before Galileo, Plato, Einstein, Darwin and the Curies were even born!?! Join our Aboriginal Educators on a specialised tour of Australian Museum galleries and exhibition spaces, and discover how Indigenous Australians have used the earth’s resources and the stars to survive and prosper for thousands of years.

Get hands on in your brain! Understand the most important organ in the human body in this interactive experience that takes you inside your brain. Using EEG, ECG, bionic eye simulators and virtual microscopy, you’ll learn just how incredible the super computer in our skull is. Get an appreciation of the trials and tribulations scientists have in trying to mimic the ability of this complicated organ. PRESENTER: Museum of Human Disease

PRESENTERS: Australian Museum

INNOVATION WORKSHOP

HANDS-ON CHEMISTRY

On a global scale Australia is very good at research. Australian scientists contribute exciting and engaging research with big impact. However, the challenge is to turn that research into something practical or by improving current systems. In this workshop students will look at science research and interesting science facts and use them to develop new ideas and inventions.

Get your hands dirty discovering what happens during chemical changes, and find out more about the different elements! Learn about energy, nano devices and forensics. Create carbon dioxide bubbles, be dazzled by mixtures that glow and change colour, witness an impossible “clock” reaction and much more! Join in an hour of fun-filled, hands-on experiments, and discover the magic of messing about with chemicals.

PRESENTER: University of Technology Sydney

2017 SYDNEY SCIENCE FESTIVAL AT THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM HIGH SCHOOL

PRESENTER: University of New South Wales

2017 SYDNEY SCIENCE FESTIVAL AT THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM HIGH SCHOOL

WORKSHOPS

THE MATHS OF MAPS

CSI WORLD

SCIENCE OF THE PACIFIC

EGGCELLENT CAR SAFETY

The earth is spherical, but maps are flat. How does this work? For hundreds of years, map makers, who are called cartographers, have made the world flat. In recent years, these same techniques have been used to create 3D art and virtual worlds. In this session we will explore some of the mathematical techniques involved. Students will explore both two and three dimensional figures, transformations and projections.

Put on your forensic suit and boots and unlock the mysteries of a comic convention crime! CSI World returns by popular demand with a one hour workshop of exciting crime scene investigation activities using authentic materials. From fingerprints to DNA, students will retrieve and analyse evidence found on their mock crime scene. They will then decipher who did it, from a list of possible offenders. So come ‘suit and boot’ and deploy to a crime scene

Embark on a cultural tour to discover the science of the Pacific! Interact with collection items as Museum staff reveal the secrets behind these objects, and the wonderful communities who made them. Find out more about the technologies of Pacific communities, their sustainable practices, and the everyday science encountered in their cultural practices.

Students will compete in teams to see who can create the safest and most cost effective ‘racing car’ according to a brief provided. Use your knowledge of Physics to make sure your car is safe and you don’t damage your egg car driver!

PRESENTER: Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute

WORKSHOPS

PRESENTER: University of Sydney

PRESENTER: Australian Museum

2017 SYDNEY SCIENCE FESTIVAL AT THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM HIGH SCHOOL

SHOWS

BEYOND SUPERHUMAN – TECHNOLOGY FOR HUMANITY

GREAT WHITE SHARKS TO UNDERSTAND & PROTECT

Join Dr Jordan Nguyen, Biomedical Engineer & Designer of life-changing technologies focusing on intelligent, futuristic and inclusive technology. Drawing on his experience of almost breaking his own neck, Jordan developed a mind-controlled smart wheelchair for people with highlevel physical disability. As a speaker Jordan has the ability to translate highly technical concepts and future trends into clear and concise content, relevant to any student with a passion to proactively embrace and adapt to technological change

Can marine biologists help us conserve our marine environments and understand the ocean’s great predators and their role in the ecosystem? How can science and technology protect sharks from dying at our beaches and swimming areas, while also reducing risks from sharks to swimmers and surfers? Join marine biologist Professor Bill Gladstone for a lively discussion on marine conservation biology and environmental management, fish behavioural ecology and the pros and cons of shark conservation vs. human protection.

PRESENTER: Saxton Speakers Bureau

PRESENTER: University of Technology Sydney

2017 SYDNEY SCIENCE FESTIVAL AT THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM HIGH SCHOOL

SHOWS

NATURAL DISASTERS

BIG SCIENCE, BIG FUN

Can you bend a spoon or find water using only a stick? The Mystery Investigators can! Join Richard Saunders from TV’s The One and his team as they unlock the secrets behind strange and mysterious stories in this interactive show. Help the Mystery Investigators use scientific methods to demonstrate and explain fantastic phenomena and bust scientific myths!

Get your hands dirty by making volcanoes explode! Did you know that rocks move? Not just up and down, but sideways and backwards, moving all over each other. The world as we know it has been developed by these movements through eruptions, earthquakes, meteors and tectonic plate shifts. Witness a scientific power that rocks in this interactive show, and see if you can make a volcano explode!

A truly awesome science show, action packed with science experiments in a major way! Watch out for bubbling liquid nitrogen, levitating beach balls, a giant gyroscope, coloured shadows, a student-sized hovercraft or else you might end up on a nail chair. Discover the mysteries of light, sound and combustion with gigantic bubbles, flying toilet paper, hair-raising electricity experiments and more

PRESENTER: Mystery Investigators

PRESENTER: Australian Museum

PRESENTER: Fizzics Education

THE MYSTERY INVESTIGATORS

SHOWS

2017 SYDNEY SCIENCE FESTIVAL AT THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM HIGH SCHOOL

TALKS

WILDLIFE FORENSICS

KNOW YOUR ENEMY

STEM CAREERS PANEL

Hear how Australian Museum research will help combat the illegal wildlife trade and assist the conservation of endangered wildlife species. Learn about the illegal trade in some of our most iconic species, from cockatoos to short beaked echidnas, and what AMRI scientists are doing to help curb the trade.

What is the bigger killer - cars or sharks? How does data help make the decision of if you should go for a swim or not? Ever wondered how you will die? Then come along on this fun tour through your future. A data driven look at what killed, kills and will kill Australians illustrated with specimens from the Museum of Human Disease. Australia’s only publicly accessible medical pathology museum.

Do all scientists work in labs? Do mathematicians spend all day on their calculators? How many types of engineers are there? Science industry professionals will be on-hand to answer questions and fulfil your curiosity of what a career in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics is really like. Join experts from around Australia in this moderated Q&A session about your science career.

PRESENTER: Museum of Human Disease

PRESENTER: Australian Museum & Festival Partners

PRESENTER: Australian Museum Research Institute

TALKS

2017 SYDNEY SCIENCE FESTIVAL AT THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM HIGH SCHOOL

DR KARL’S GREAT MOMENTS IN SCIENCE Join Australia’s science legend Dr Karl for a whirlwind tour of scientific explanations and bizarre facts. Come and laugh and learn PRESENTER: Dr Karl Kruszelnicki

2017 SYDNEY SCIENCE FESTIVAL AT THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM HIGH SCHOOL

TALKS

FUTURE EARTH SUSTAINABLE BIODIVERSITY Explore Australia’s Sustainability Science with Australian Museum Research Institute’s (AMRI) Dr Don Colgan and Dr Dan Faith. What does the future of Australia’s terrestrial, freshwater and marine biodiversity look like? What value does it have to present and future generatons? Investigate the evolution of Molluscs and sustainability along the South Eastern Australian Coast and delve into the topic of Biodiversity sustainability and the future survival of organisms (including us!) on Earth. These discussions will consist of 2 15 minute talks followed by a Q & A session.

TALKS

THE LIGHT SIDE… Light is all around us. Some of it we can see, some of it we can’t. In this show we’ll talk about light and look at how it is used in the world through some exciting demonstrations. PRESENTER: University of Technology Sydney

FUTURE VISION QIUZ SHAPING OUR WORLD WITH SCIENCE

SPOT THE BULL SCIENCE

Explore the fascinating future of science and discover how scientists have the power to shape the future of our society. Learn how to avoid having our job taken by a robot, how to reduce global hunger or how to be the first person on Mars. Through voting keypads, the audience becomes part of the show to look at our bright future in human health, the environment and innovative technology. PRESENTER: ANSTO

What do the moon landings, global warming and vaccinations all have in common? They’re conspiracies perpetuated by scientists, right? WRONG! To celebrate National Science Week, and to demonstrate just how hard it is to get scientists to believe BS (bad science), The Science Nation is holding a contest of intelligence, interrogation and intimidation that sees a lineup of scientists each trying to have their peers believe complete and utter BS. Come along and join the most enjoyable experiment in BS you’ll ever see. PRESENTER: Science Nation

PRESENTER: Australian Museum Research Institute

2017 SYDNEY SCIENCE FESTIVAL AT THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM HIGH SCHOOL

EXHIBITIONS

EXHIBITION VISITS

Become acquainted with the objects that started it all by booking into our renowned exhibitions. Wander through old favourites or discover the new exhibitions at Australia’s first Museum. Gallery visits can be scheduled for the following exhibitions: Wild Planet Earth is home but it’s not just ours. Parading for you in Wild Planet are around 400 of the amazing animal species we share our planet with. Minerals: featuring the Albert Chapman Collection Step into a glittering world of colour and light and discover a collection renowned for its mineralogical diversity, crystal perfection and aesthetic appeal, including an impressive number of specimens found here in Australia! Surviving Australia Get close to some intriguing Australian fauna, and discover a world beneath the waves. Pacific Spirit Experience the colour, culture and artistry of one of the world’s most diverse regions, and discover how each displayed object embodies the culture that continues to resonate in contemporary Pacific societies, including here in Sydney. Dinosaurs See, hear, touch and even smell a time where dinosaurs roamed the world.

2017 SYDNEY SCIENCE FESTIVAL AT THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM HIGH SCHOOL

THE TEAM

THE SCIENCE ENGAGEMENT AND EVENTS TEAM

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:

Geoff Gardner, Catherine Beehag, Tubby the Robot, Ellie Downing and Ashleigh Harrington.

amsciencefestival.net

T (02) 9320 6389 E see@austmus.gov.au

2017 SYDNEY SCIENCE FESTIVAL AT THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM HIGH SCHOOL

Major Partner

Festival Partner

Education Partners

Supporting Partner

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Festival Producers