Science Education News (SEN) Journal 2017 Volume 66 Number 4 December 2017 | Page 13

ASSOCIATION NEWS
2017 Young Scientist Awards finishes on a massive high

By Stuart Garth, STANSW Young Scientist Awards Immediate-Past Coordinator
Memorable final moments of Awards
Ceremony Starting with a bang and ending with an
explosion
For those who were privileged to attend the 2017 STANSW Young
Scientist Presentation Ceremony, no one will ever forget the final
moments where our biggest ever ISEF team congregated on the
stage to the applause of the 400 crowd. 2017 has been a year where our profile has continued to escalate:
(i) BHP Billiton Science and Engineering Awards (February)
After a resounding 2016, Ann Hanna took over the reins.
Immediately we were recording our best-ever results at the BHP
Billiton Science and Engineering Awards. 13 of the 26 national
finalists were from the STANSW Young Scientist Awards, and we
went on to win half of the major awards. In the primary division
five of the eight national winners were NSW projects.
(ii) NESA releases new senior science syllabuses (February)
Meanwhile, NESA released the new HSC Science course
syllabuses, including the new 'Investigating Science' course
which closely parallels our Scientific Investigation category.
Depth-studies became the subject of professional development
meetings. The long-awaited Science Extension Draft Syllabus
was released on the last day of February, with the potential of
revolutionising research skills for those who elect to take this
course, due to start in 2019. Three months later on May 29,
Education Minister Rob Stokes announced updated NESA rules
allowing students to complete seven science units in Year 12.
Then moments later STANSW Vice-president, Vatché Ansourian
called all the award winners and Young Scientist Committee
members out the front for one huge selfie, to the applause of a
now-depleted crowd of 290 people.
“HSC pathway for scientists of the future” – Teacher Victoria Cull
with PLC students in Sydney, ‘The Australian’, 29th May, 2017,
Picture: John Feder.
With these new NESA developments the practical divide that
traditionally existed between the senior science courses and
our Young Scientist research-based judging rubric has now
reduced, and we should see the changes as “a win for students
with a passion for science and research”, as stated by the NSW
Education Minister.
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SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 66 NO 4