Science Education News (SEN) Journal 2017 Volume 66 Number 4 December 2017 | Page 15

ASSOCIATION NEWS
2017 Young Scientist Awards (continued)
2017 STANSW Young Scientist Presentation
Ceremony hosted by the University of
Wollongong
Dressed in specially-designed Sebel shirts, adorned with ISEF
medal and lanyard full of pins, the Young Scientist 2017 ISEF
finalists took an active role in the running of the presentations.
Positioned on the main stage as guests of honour, the ISEF
finalists assisted in the presentation of a certificate and cheque
to each category winner and Eleanor Lawton-Wade even read
out some of the awards. An added feature of the evening was
the grape-coloured Postura-Max chairs that the girls were sitting
on. Sebel Furniture organised for the Young Scientist logo and
the Sebel graphic that adorns the ISEF shirts to be heat-stamped
onto the Sebel chairs. During the night the 2017 ISEF students
received numerous deserved commendations, and it was
significant that three of the seven US representatives backed up
with new award-winning projects for this year’s Young Scientist
Awards.
On Wednesday, 1st November, the University of Wollongong
hosted the STANSW Young Scientist Awards Ceremony for the
fifth consecutive year. 400 finalists and guests attended the
‘Celebration of STEM’, with a record 109 students receiving
awards, 13 more than our previous best set last year. We had
57 primary and 52 secondary finalists and 58% of all prizes were
won by girls. 38 NSW schools were represented at the event, with
16 DET schools, 16 Independent schools and 6 Catholic schools.
Nine of these award-winning schools were regional schools.
Our 2017 STANSW Young Scientist Coordinator, Ann Hanna, was
the MC for the event, and Associate Professor Rodney Vickers
welcomed all visitors to the University of Wollongong. He later
presented awards to the K-6 scientific investigation winners with
the help of Macinley Butson, the 2016 Sebel Young Scientist of
the Year.
Interview with our first ever ISEF 1st Place
Grand Award winner
To recognise Macinley Butson’s outstanding feat of winning a 1st
Place Grand Award at the 2017 ISEF competition, Stuart Garth,
the Young Scientist ISEF Director, interviewed Macinley about
her Smart Shield, her ISEF experience, and the subsequent trip
to Sweden and her TED talk that followed.
Macinley Butson (left) and Associate Professor Rodney Vickers
(right) presenting Will McKenzie, Dubbo South Public School,
with his investigation award.
2017 ISEF Finalists share their amazing Los
Angeles experience
A special multimedia presentation was premiered during the
Ceremony, featuring the 2017 ISEF experience of our all-girl team.
The video showed all five major awards won by our team, and
provided an excellent snapshot of the intensity and enjoyment of
that special week.
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SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 66 NO 4