Secondary students from across the Northern Territory recently experienced a range of hands-on engineering, technology and science activities at the ConocoPhillips Science Experience at Charles Darwin University (CDU).
The 100 Year 9 and 10 students from Darwin, Katherine and Arnhem Land engaged in hands-on workshops and other activities during the three-day event, hosted at CDU’s Casuarina Campus.
Engineers Australia sponsored the event in line with its top strategic priority “to create awareness of the opportunities in engineering among young Australians”.
Engineers Australia, Northern General Manager Mark Monaghan said that supporting events like these helps foster “tomorrow’s engineers” and the future of the Territory’s engineering profession.
“We were proud to sponsor the attendance of ten students at the ConocoPhillips Science Experience,” Mr Monaghan said.
“It is critical for the local engineering sector to encourage and support students from across the NT to explore STEM careers as innovation and creative problem solving are essential for the sustainability of our increasingly technology-dependent lives.
“It was also wonderful to witness the participation of students who travelled from West Arnhem College in Gunbalanya, who amazed us with an Indigenous perspective of science and their understandings of the world around us.”
Professor of Chemical Engineering at CDU Suresh Thennadil FIEAust CPEng EngExec NER APEC Engineer said that such workshops are important because they educate students about the critical role of engineers in our communities.
“These events help the students to realise that they can make a difference in society as engineers by addressing important challenges that can improve not only the quality of life, but also save lives and the environment,” Professor Thennadil said.
The engineering workshop focussed on finding hands-on solutions to cleaning oil spill disasters by following the four-step engineering process of understanding the problem and the system, developing candidate methods and materials, choosing the most effective method, and designing equipment and procedures.
Kormilda College student Samuel Roussos said he enjoyed touring the campus facilities, and was interested in finding out about engineering study options.
“I have always wanted to be an engineer, so it’s interesting to learn more about it and see what the university has to offer,” Mr Roussos said.
“The event has been very helpful and I have enjoyed the experience.”
Students learned about engineering career pathways offered at CDU, as well as in pharmacy, aquaculture, medical studies, exercise sports science, environmental science, psychology, and information technology.
ConocoPhillips sponsored the event in collaboration with Engineers Australia, Science Schools Foundation, Northern Territory Government, Flinders University, Rotary Club of Litchfield and Palmerston, Cameco Australia, Surveying and Spatial Science Institute NT, and NT Member for Goyder Kezia Purick.
The ConocoPhillips Science Experience will be hosted again at CDU next year between 17 and 19 October 2017. Please email for more information.
Image: Kormilda College student Samuel Roussos (right) at the ConocoPhillips Science Experience. Courtesy of Charles Darwin University.