2 minute read
STEM camp takes students ‘out of this world’
from Contact 17
BY GINA PEARSE (SKAO)
For the second year in a row, the SKAO partnered with the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) to deliver the popular Stargirls+ STEM camp in Australia’s Mid West.
The immersive hands-on experience was attended by 19 regional students, with several students travelling up to nine hours to join the camp.
Stargirls+ was open to Year 8-12 (ages 12-18) girls and gender minorities interested in pursuing a career in astronomy, engineering or data science. The free twoday camp was an opportunity to practise real-world astronomy research skills and hear from leading experts in the field.
The camp was hosted at the Geraldton Universities Centre and delivered by the ICRAR Education and Outreach team, with financial and in-kind support from the SKAO team in Australia.
SKA-Low Commissioning Scientist Dr Shivani Bhandari said the collaboration reflected a shared commitment to fostering diversity and encouraging young individuals to explore STEM fields.
“As a young person living regionally, you might love science, technology or engineering, but not necessarily know what options are available to you,” Dr Bhandari said.
“I’m excited to share my passion and provide guidance to those interested in science and astronomy.”
Dr Bhandari was joined by two of her SKA-Low colleagues to participate in “speed networking” with the students.
Angela Teale spoke with the students about her non-traditional pathway to her role as SKA-Low’s head of engineering operations. She encouraged students to “follow their smile” when pursuing their career pathway.
The sessions also included representatives from SKAO collaborators ICRAR, AusSRC and CSIRO, and a nighttime “sidewalk astronomy” event.
Students’ feedback showed how much they valued the experience:
“[I enjoyed] seeing the real-life research and projects that are discovering new things and meeting with the women who are involved in them and getting to ask them questions.”
“All people were very kind and made sure all the girls knew what they were doing at their pace. It was more casual, making it more comfortable for me to be there.”
SKAO and ICRAR look to continue to offer local students this unique opportunity in the future.
