ACSSO welcomes as conference major sponsor the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation. ANSTO is Australia’s national nuclear research and development organisation, and the centre of its nuclear expertise.

As one of Australia's leading science organisations, ANSTO plays a key role in providing information about nuclear science and technology to the whole community. ANSTO has developed a number of resources that focus on bringing an understanding and an appreciation of science into the lives of young people. These include:

Nuclear Science in Society

A new and unique nuclear science education resource for the year 7-10 Science subject, relevant to every Australian state and territory curriculum, is now available online at www.ansto.gov.au/edu – or on CD-ROM.

The key reason for producing the resource – entitled Nuclear Science in Society – was to help young people better understand nuclear science, said ANSTO* Executive Director, Dr Ian Smith.

“Although nuclear science has wide ranging applications, it is a complex technology,” said Dr Smith. “The resource, however, is easy to understand, topical and user-friendly and we hope it will enhance science’s attractiveness as a subject.

“We also believe that, as Australia’s only nuclear facility and one of the country’s leading science organisations, we have a responsibility to give young Australians the opportunity to gain a clear understanding of nuclear science as part of their education.

“There is certainly a demand for education on nuclear science,” continued Dr Smith. “Recent research undertaken by ANSTO amongst our staff and the Australian community, as well as government and business, identified that over 90% of those surveyed believed we should be educating young people in schools on nuclear science.

“It is also hoped that by contributing to the education of all young Australians we can encourage more young people to consider a career in science or, at the very least, enhance their science literacy.

Nuclear Science in Society was developed in consultation with the Australian Science Teachers Association and the science education departments of each state and territory.

CD-ROMs of Nuclear Science in Society can be ordered by emailing martha.halliday@ansto.gov.au or by phoning (02) 9717 3934.

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Velocity: Science in Motion

Velocity: Science in Motion is a science communication initiative from ANSTO, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation.

Velocity is a free, quarterly e-magazine, featuring stories on breakthrough Australian science from a range of organisations and individuals. News from Australia’s science and technology museums also features regularly.

The aims of the e-magazine are to raise people’s awareness of the impact Australian science has on the community, stimulate dialogue about scientific research, underline science’s collaborative nature, and to prompt an increased interest in science careers from young people.

Velocity: Science in Motion can be subscribed to at velocity.ansto.gov.au.

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Careers in Science: Choose Your Own Adventure

Encouraging more school students to undertake Year 11 and 12 science subjects, as well as prompting them to more seriously consider pursuing a career is science, is the subject of a major new initiative driven by Australia’s four most significant scientific research leaders, and the NSW Ministry for Science and Medical Research.

The initiative gives students, parents, careers advisers and science teachers more information on the wide range of exciting career options studying science can lead to.

The research leaders are the Australian Institute of Marine Science, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, CSIRO and the Defence Science and Technology Organisation.

The project has been stimulated by the steady decline of students enrolling in physical sciences in upper Years 11 and 12 that has been apparent for the last 15 years. Eventually, this will have a negative impact on Australia’s ability to compete internationally, both in the commercial and scientific research arenas. A reduced scientific literacy will also have significant negative impact on Australian culture and society.

The initiative’s centrepiece is a brochure for Year 9 and 10 students. It incorporates information on a wide range of career options available after studying science. It also includes case studies of real people with interesting jobs, including those that steer away from the stereotypical ‘scientist in a white lab coat’ approach.

One of the main messages of the initiative is that science studied in high school helps to keep career options open – it does not necessarily mean becoming a research scientist! While of course there are a lot of great jobs for those who do want to become a scientist, careers in wine making, banking, journalism and radiography, among others, are made easier after studying subjects such as physics and chemistry.

Before beginning this project, research was undertaken to determine where science job opportunities will exist in the future, what type of organisations employ people with science degrees and what personal characteristics enhance individuals’ ability to successfully practice science. All of this information is included in the brochure, so students are given a broad variety of information and perspectives. The brochure includes a Japanese manga-style cartoon strip, adding to its visual appeal.

Research shows that students seek their career information from a variety of sources – parents, careers advisers and teachers being the main ones. In order to ensure that these groups are able to provide the necessary guidance, a fact sheet has been produced specifically for them.

The fact sheet has short, bullet-pointed grabs of information such as careers that can eventuate, statistics on where graduates of science degrees end-up, salary information and the likelihood of obtaining a job from studying science.

If you would like to receive careers in science information please contact Martha Halliday at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation on (02) 9717 3934 or martha.halliday@ansto.gov.au.

More information on the initiative can be found at www.careersinscience.gov.au.

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ACSSO and Science

"This month and into the future you will notice how we are emphasizing the importance of science in our lives. And, as a bonus, Science Show host Robyn Williams will be a key speaker at the ACSSO Conference in October.

ACSSO is delighted to be involved in programs that promote the value of science to parents and young people.

We believe the health of a nation relies very much on the importance attached to science both in our homes and at school. A successful nation will value science and seek to encourage young people to follow a scientific career. From pure science to applied technology, from physics to pharmaceuticals, from environmental analysts to energy consultants, Australia has a desperate need for recruits.

Just as important is the need for all young people to appreciate the contribution that science has made to our well-being. We also want young people, teachers and parents to appreciate how exciting and how much fun science can be. A generation that has both curiosity and scientific method is a generation that will be able to cope with challenges in the future."

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