National Youth Science Forum Canberra 2024 (NYSF) - or, STEM, Connections, and the best experience of my life!

From 5 to 13 January, I was lucky enough to attend the Canberra session of the National Youth Science Forum (NYSF), along with 249 other students from all around Australia. Hosted by the Australian National University, assisted by Rotary Australia, the NYSF is a Nationwide program dedicated to fueling the interests of Year 12 students in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. We attended incredibly cool activities such as a Codebreaking Class at the Australian Signals Directory, as well as visiting the Mount Stromlo Observatory and seeing a life-sized replica of the Mars Rover, Curiosity.

Highlights of the program included:

• Live conferencing with scientific experts who were on-site at the Large Hadron Collider.
• Living on campus at ANU and making close friendships that will last me for life.
• Undertaking workshops and lectures by specialists in their own fields, and getting valuable insights into the world of science as a career.

I’ve always been interested in the topic of STEM, and being able to attend a camp with like minded people was a dream come true. It has particularly ignited my passion to pursue a career in research in either Engineering or Biology, and I would like to thank both Sacred Heart College and the Rotary Club of Kyneton for sponsoring my attendance, and my teachers for encouraging me. If you are scientifically minded, and in Year 11 this year, I strongly recommend you investigate and apply for this incredible program.

For more information, visit the NYSF website at https://www.nysf.edu.au/