Report on Youth ANZAAS 2009
Julianne Crowley 1, Tavis Bennett 2, Millie Brumby 3, Jeremy Gilbanks 4, Saxon Jensen 5, Johanna Lee 6, Michael Mroz 7
1 SMEC, Curtin University, 2 Hale School, 3 Presbyterian Ladies College, 4 Aquinas College, 5 Swan Christian College, 6 Bunbury Catholic College, 7 Willetton SHS
Source: SCIOS, the WA Science Teachers Association journal.Youth ANZAAS is a regular event in the school year for our West Australian high ability and achieving Year 10, 11 or 12 science students. It is an international/national annual residential forum organised by the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science (ANZAAS) where high achieving science students from around Australia and New Zealand meet and share their interest in science while participating in a variety of talks, seminars, excursions which showcase some of the cutting edge science occurring in the host city.
The forum is run and organised by a group of committed university academics, scientists and other interested people and aim is to increase the delegates understanding of the scope and nature of cutting edge science being undertaken today and perhaps add to their choices as they head towards university decisions. The organising committee is able to call on a variety of academics, university students and community members to volunteer their time and expertise to encourage and enthuse secondary science students in their study of science.
The location of the forum changes and rotates around Australia and this year, Youth ANZAAS was held in Melbourne and after a competitive screening process 6 students from Western Australia were chosen to attend. Most delegates and their family were introduced to each other at a meeting at Curtin University organised by the WA President of ANZAAS, Professor David Treagust. This meeting was to answer questions and prepare students for their Melbourne experience.
All students in their reports described the early start from Perth as quite challenging but they soon forgot the cold and were on the tarmac at Melbourne and en route to Ormond College, a residential college of Melbourne University and is built with turrets and walkways and then to dining hall for lunch and to meet other delegates. The College is quite impressive and both Michael and Saxon felt as though they were in a Harry Potter novel describing it as 'like the Great Hall at Hogwarts'.
This year each day's activities were structured around a theme. The first day was Darwin Day and started with series of exciting laboratory activities relating to genetics at Melbourne University followed by a talk by David de Krester, the Governor of Victoria, who is a professor of science who specialised in spermatogenesis. Joanna was especially interested in Young's syndrome which was described in David de Krester's presentation. This syndrome previously thought to be genetic and a cause of infertility, was later found to be caused by the mercury poisoning of powdered milk used for children.
I found this interesting in the fact that after how many decades of assuming this was a cause for infertility it was completely incorrect, and it also showed us that medicine is always changing, and caused me to wonder what future affects our foods will have on us (Joanna) .
Professor de Krester was followed by talks by Phil Batterman on climate change, and Roger Rassool on 'Energy', which addressed the effect the impact on the environment of population and behaviour. These sessions were followed by a further series of related activities. The day concluded with a talk about the life of Charles Darwin, 'Charles Darwin in Australasia'.
Tuesday was the day to visit the Synchrotron. Delegates were fortunate that their tour was on a maintenance day so 'we could actually go into the rooms with the huge DO NOT ENTER high levels of radiation signs. We were lucky enough to be able to see part of the huge structure and view the large magnets used, and the very long tunnels' (Joanna). Lunch was at Monash University with their Engineering Society members where delegates attended several mini labs and learnt why solving structures can be fun. Their last stop was to view the university's solar racing car which was coming second in the world beaten only by the University of Western Australia's entry! James Whisstock later presented a lecture on 'Protein crystallography and structural biology' and 'Hedgehogs, cancer and one-eyed sheep' by Neil Watkins. This was Joanna's favourite lecture of the week as it caused her
to expand my thinking and to learn about a completely new topic. This lecture was about cancer stem cells, and how cancer stem cells are heredity. This lecture presented us with a completely new treatment of cancer, and how we could possibly control cancer and live with it as a condition through medication instead of trying to destroy the cancer.
One of the highlights of the trip was the Trivia Night. Jeremy remembers the question: 'If the P vs. NP problem were solved, what would be the value for absolute zero'?
Wednesday was 'Industry Day' and it started with a trip to the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, which is at the forefront of cancer research in the world.
One of the doctoral researchers we met was using a green fluorescent dye in cells to isolate specific genes and, after altering their DNA, recording any differences in propensity throughout the sample. Their laboratories are PTC 2 levelled, meaning that absolutely no food or drinks are allowed inside (Jeremy).
Then it was off to Melbourne Museum to visit an exhibition prepared in tribute to the first computer and a replica of Pompeii. Then it was a fun session in the Physics Theatre to see a physics road show known as the 'MUPPETS' (Melbourne University Physics Promotion, Education and Teaching Services).
This definitely displayed the fun and exciting aspects of physics; it was like seeing magic being performed. One of the demonstrations was seeing sound waves travel down a pipe. When someone sang a note down a pipe, which was lit by small lights on top of it. The vibrations of the sound waves made the lights light up to different heights to resemble a wave. There was also a demonstration of the Bernoulli Effect using an air hose and a plastic apple to hold it up. He then tried to juggle three plastic balls using this effect. This is the same principle where airplanes have enough aerodynamic lift to stay in the air (Millie).
The last event for the day was a slightly unconventional science performance by Chris KP and his orchestra Rubber Soldiers on the science of dating.
With a combination of science, music and comedy, it discussed the comical topic of pheromones, emotions, beauty and the chances of finding a partner in the first place. Many people at ANZAAS found this event a highlight and nearly the whole way through we could not stop laughing. It was very different from all of the other activities we had done on the tour, so it was refreshing to see science from a different angle in a theatrical way (Millie).
The last day was Chemistry day and started early at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research where the delegates attended several presentations: 'Diabetes and Autoimmunity' by Shirley Elkassaby, where we learnt the shocking statistics of the prevalence of diabetes in society today (Johanna), 'Motor mechanics and Malaria', by Jake Baunand and 'Biomedical animations' by Drew Berry. In this session we viewed several amazing animations of the human body. It was then off to the laboratories at Melbourne University and input from CSIRO about several cutting edge technologies.
We were able to study the art of forgery of money -just kidding! But we did learn about several detailed guards in money to prevent forgery, such as different plastic layers, micro printing, special inks, and many other methods. We also had the chance to see an air guitar! This could be played using a special shirt and some fantastic air guitar moves! We also viewed a special magnetic liquid, shock proof substances, clear glass which could become opaque, and memory cast metals (Johanna).
The final formal event was a formal dinner held at the Melbourne Aquarium with Dr Paul Willis, star of the ABC show, Catalyst, the Master of Ceremonies for the evening and guest speakers from cosmology, geneticist/biology and anthropology and where all delegates dressed up in their finery and travelled on the famous Melbourne trams to arrive at the venue. The dining room was apparently 'amazing'.
We were underwater with the fish and sharks swimming around. We got to talk with one another and ask many scientists questions about their field of work, this was an amazing opportunity (Saxon).
Students thanked Damien Downes, the organiser of Youth ANZAAS 2009 without whose enthusiasm and organisational ability as well as the support of the Victorian ANZAAS Committee who were able encourage so many wonderful academics, researchers, post doctoral, doctoral and undergraduate students to volunteer their time to provide this wonderful opportunity for our young science students of the future. It was so full that 'there was something new to learn every day, even every hour, and it was fun' (Saxon) and Michael thanked all 'for this incredible opportunity'!
Saxon described it as 'one of the best weeks I have ever had', Millie 'learnt many new things, and I was able to go somewhere where I have never been before'. Tavis recollects that Youth ANZAAS was 'a highlight of my high school years. The trip was full of great experiences; perhaps the only hiccup for me, was getting used to the weather, and leaving behind all the great kids. The staff members, the students and the amazing lectures; these are all things I will never forget'.
Johanna flew home 'With new knowledge and a passion to study science in the future Youth ANZAAS provided me with the opportunity to discover how I could make a difference in the future'.
I hope this report will encourages teachers to alert their high achieving science students in Years 10, 11 or 12 to this fantastic opportunity and support their application to attend Youth ANZAAS 2010 when it is advertised early next year. Youth ANZAAS 2010 will be held in Sydney.
Source: SCIOS, the WA Science Teachers Association journal.