We congratulate Year 12 student Lily Brown who recently returned to the Rotary Club of Ashmore to present on her experience at the National Youth Science Forum and to give her thanks. She shares her reflection:
Over the Summer break, I was fortunate enough to attend the 2021 National Youth Science Forum. Each year, the forum presents an opportunity for students across Australia to immerse themselves in the world of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and make lasting connections with other students. Programs such as the NYSF are important in developing the passion for, and commitment to, meaningful careers in STEM.
One
of the most rewarding aspects of the program was the opportunity it afforded me
to extend my knowledge of, and gain exposure to, the various fields of science.
NYSF highlighted the sheer diversity of study and career opportunities STEM has
to offer. A wide range of topics were traversed, from astrophysics research at
CSIRO, to COVID-19 vaccine development in Australia. Areas relating to the
physical sciences, life sciences and applied sciences were visited– as well as
all the varieties of science that fall in between and the collaborative
initiatives that bring streams of scientific endeavour together. When I first
applied for NYSF 2021, never for a moment did I think that I would be sitting
at my desk at home being taken on a visual tour of the ATLAS experiment at the
Large Hadron Collider in CERN, Switzerland. These are just some of the many
highlights of NYSF 2021 that illustrate the incredibly varied and exciting
program on offer. The program also allowed me to connect with students from across
Australia, all with a shared passion for STEM.
Pictured above: A snippet from the Ashmore in Action Bulletin 7 March captures Lily Brown presenting
at the Rotary Club of Ashmore
None of this would have been possible without the generous support of the Ashmore Rotary Club. Over the past few months, I have had the pleasure of meeting the Ashmore Rotarians and sharing with them my NYSF experiences. Rotary is the Founding Partner of the NYSF and members of local Canberra region Rotary clubs were integral to its establishment in 1983. Each year it is through the continued support of Rotarians that young students across Australia can attend the program. Rotary is dedicated to promoting the opportunity to attend NYSF in local communities, conducting selections for the program, and assisting with funding student attendance. I cannot thank Rotary Ashmore enough for supporting my attendance at the forum. Their contributions toward creating positive change within the community do not go unnoticed, and their role in supporting the NYSF cannot be overstated.
Mrs Vanessa Rebgetz
Principal
