Curtin researchers shared their passion and talent for science with WA’s budding scientists at this year’s Siemens Science Experience.
One hundred Year 10 students from across the state descended on Curtin’s Bentley campus for three days of interactive science demonstrations and experiments, covering everything from pharmacy to physics.
Curtin final year Applied Physics PhD student and Siemens’ Assistant Director, Daniel Veen, said that the event is designed to give students an insight into the range of science careers available and provided an opportunity to see how science worked in the real world.
‘Science in school is largely based on book work, but this program provides a really practical, hands-on experience, which not only gets the students excited about science, but allows them to understand how science relates to modern day society,’ he said.
‘For example, they could see from the “walking on water” demonstration how a mixture of cornflour and water could produce an anti-thixotropic liquid that can drastically change consistency depending on the speed and contact force. In real life this could have the potential to be used in something like protective body armour.
‘The students were thrilled when they could then walk across it as though walking on water.’
Curtin Physics Associate Lecturer and Siemens’ Program Director, Adrian Murdock, said he had personal experience of being involved in similar activities when he was a student.
‘I attended a summer Science Experience when I was a high school student, and ultimately it was this experience that led me to pursue my current field of science. I guess I am living proof of how valuable and influential this type of program can be,’ he said.
The Siemens Science Experience is an annual event run nationally across 35 university and tertiary institutions. The event is open to Year 10 students. For more information visit the Siemens Science Experience website.
