National Science week launched as Australians back science and STEM classes

Rowan Anderson

Journalist

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Kids getting more and more involved in STEM IMAGE: Credit Kevin Jarrett

Queensland’s National Science Week launches this week with live experiments and programs across the state and is Australia’s annual opportunity to meet scientists, discuss hot topics, do science and celebrate its cultural and economic impact on society—from art to astrophysics, chemistry to climate change, and forensics to future food.

It comes at a time when Australians overwhelmingly trust in science and scientists, with 88% backing science and STEM classes increasing in schools.

National Science Week began in 1997 and last year—despite a global pandemic—1.3 million people participated in more than 1,750 events and activities.

Big Blue Blocks Imagination Playground at Cairns Childrens Museum IMAGE: Supplied

The 3M State of Science Index measures public attitudes to science in 17 countries with more than 1000 Australians surveyed for the global poll earlier this year.

Science & Technology Australia Chief Executive Officer Misha Schubert commented on the trend.
“Australians strongly value and trust science, and we see clearly how important science is to our safety and prosperity,” Ms Schubert said.

"Science has saved us time and again during the COVID-19 pandemic – and Australians appreciate science’s key role to help us tackle major threats including climate change, which is causing more frequent terrifying extreme weather like floods, cyclones, megafires, droughts, and heatwaves.”

Four in five (78%) Australians say they want to hear more from scientists about their work although a large majority of Australians believe there is now widespread misinformation in mainstream news, and nine in ten Australians think there is widespread misinformation on all topics on social media.

“We live in an era of general wariness and distrust of information – especially on social media – which is feeding into a rising tide of concern about social media misinformation that risks fuelling public scepticism in science unless we all act to safeguard it,” Ms Schubert said.

“It’s more important than ever that we all help Australians to find credible, accurate and verified sources.”

Eleni Sideridis, Managing Director of 3M Australia and New Zealand, said science is viewed as essential to shaping, strengthening and improving Australia.

“The last few years have shown Australians the true value of science. The people of Australia know that science holds the solutions to many issues,” she said.

National Science Week runs from 13 to 21 August 2022 with thousands of events planned for across the country.

One example being hundreds of people around the country to launch thousands of mini rockets into the sky on the eve of National Science Week (August 12) to learn about forces and flight and to see that what goes up must come down.

It’s the brainchild of Brisbane teacher turned small business founder Steve Liddell who turned his love of science into an award-winning business presenting colourful and explosive live science shows.

Another exhibition making waves is ‘A Century of Australian coral reef science’ being held at the Queensland Museum.

In the face of climate change and other threats, can we save Australia’s many colourful reefs? These reefs include those on the fringe of the Queensland coast, forming labyrinths in the Torres Strait and Coral Sea, and meandering along the Kimberley and Ningaloo coastlines.

Australia’s coral reefs are some of the longest, oldest, most biodiverse and pristine on the planet – some 17 per cent of all the world’s coral reefs. Four are World Heritage-listed: the Great Barrier Reef, Lord Howe Island, Ningaloo Reef and Shark Bay.
This exhibition at Queensland Museum explores 100 years of Australian coral reef science to find out how local scientists have been at the forefront of reef conservation and advocacy, making large ripples across the globe by supporting scientific research on coral reefs, and are protecting precious reefs for generations to come.

These are only two examples of events but to find an event in your local area and get the whole family involved go to https://www.scienceweek.net.au/

Big Blue Blocks Imagination Playground at Cairns Childrens Museum IMAGE: Supplied

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