Science Week '24 - that's a wrap

National Science Week is always a big one for our Faculty - here's a wrap for 2024.

Child and carer looking at model bugs at a marquee, man standing behind desk smiling

12 Wally's Walk
Balaclava Rd, North Ryde, Macquarie University
NSW 2109 Australia

Science week in 2024 kicked off with Macquarie University’s Open Day on 10 August, where the Faculty of Science and Engineering put on a big show with loads of hands-on activities for visitors, displays and tours of labs and facilities, followed by several on-campus events - and lots of outreach in the community. Here’s just a taste of what went on:

Science in the Scrub

In Western Sydney on the 11th of August, Science in the Scrub hosted several Macquarie stalls, including the Applied Biosciences fall armyworm stand.

National Indigenous Science Experience (NISEP)

The NISEP team, headed by Professor Joanne Jamie, hosted outreach programs celebrating Indigenous and Western science with interactive activities, with school events from 14-16 August, where the team engaged with around 200 children, including students from Darlington, Glebe and Plunkett Street Schools, Jarjum Redfern College, pre-schoolers from Only About Children, and home-schooled high school students from Western Sydney.

Children sitting on the floor listening to indigenous demonstration

Redfern Community Day

This was followed by NISEP’s Redfern Community Day on 17 August, which hosted more than 500 visitors. The event began with an Opening Ceremony, a Welcome to Country, and a Smoking Ceremony by Uncle Brendan Kerin, as well as presentations from Professor Joanne Jamie (NISEP Co-Director). It also included visiting Yaegl elders sharing their knowledge of medicinal and food plants.

Group of people sitting on the floor interacting with colourful wires

Discover lecture

Dr Vanessa Pirotta hosted our biggest-ever Discover Lecture on 14 August titled ‘Humpback Highway,’ exploring the lives and ecological importance of these amazing whales.

Photo from back of full lecture room, lecturer at lectern presenting with humpback whales on the screens behind

Not pictured:

At Glenbrook Primary School, Dr Caragh Threlfall worked with BirdLife Australia and the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water to develop a program on the ecology and conservation of the glossy black cockatoo, a threatened bird in the urban landscape near the school. The team hosted 15 classes (370 students) in the school library.

Professor Deborah Richards and Dr Juan Esquivel Muelber joined a Spotlight on Science panel at Hornsby Library.

Dr Paige Erpf and colleagues hosted a microbiology display for school and public visitors as part of the Australian Museum’s Sydney Science Trail from 12-17 August.

Professor Culum Brown visited Barker College and PLC to talk to classes about fish intelligence.