Science Ambassador Activity

ReportBy Matthew Morris, Chloe Hindley, Bruce

Niyibitanga and Isabella Angat

Mabel Park State High School

North Pine Dam Excursion

• UQ Science Ambassadors were invited to

attend the Year 7 North Pine Dam

excursion in February. The ambassadors

assisted the Yr 7s with experiments such

as water testing. We acted as mentors

and role-models for the juniors.

The Year 11 and 12 senior Chemistry class

was also invited to assist in their studies of

water treatment.

Brain Day Challenge - 4th March 2016

• Harris Fields, Mabel Park, Slacks Creek, Kingston, Woodridge North and

Chatswood State Schools were invited to the annual Brain Day

Challenge at Mabel Park SHS.

• The fun-filled day consisted of various engaging and ‘brain’ activating

activities including water rockets, planes, drones and engineering

activities. These were all especially designed to test the brain and had

a STEM focus!

• UQ Science Ambassadors assisted in all activities on the day, with the

help of our fantastic science teachers.

Water Rocket

Pi Day - 14th March

• Mabel Park Maths Science Academy and

UQ Science Ambassadors assisted in Pi Day

celebrations.

• Students who could successfully name the

first 12 digits of ‘Pi’ (3.1415926535….)

would be awarded with a piece of apple

pie!

• The event was a huge success in promoting

science and maths and created a positive

feeling towards learning.

World Science Festival Excursion

UQ Science Ambassadors, as

well as MSA students, were

invited to attend the World

Science Festival in March. The

ambassadors assisted the

juniors with the excursion, as

well as having heaps of fun!

Science Primary School Assistance

• UQ Science Ambassadors helped out in various

primary schools including Harris Fields,

Kingston, Slacks Creek, Mabel Park and

Chatswood State Schools in science related

classes on various occasions through the MPSHS

primary school science partnership.

• We believe by conducting engaging science

lessons for these students at primary school, it

will encourage them to take science related

classes in High School.

Mabel Park Maths Science Academy (MSA)

Presentations

• The MSA students, UQ Ambassadors and Griffith Ambassadors at Mabel Park were awarded their badges at an inaugural presentation of the Mabel Park MSA.

MPSHS Maths and Science Week – 15th

to 18th August 2016.

• Monday to Wednesday – The Mabel Park SHS science

ambassadors spent each day from Monday through to

Wednesday at Harris Fields State School where we

conducted a series of fun science related experiments for

each class.

• Experiments comprised of the sugar snake experiment,

magnetic hour glass, ferro-fluid, hydrophobic sand and a

kinetic Ferris wheel.

(Part of National Science Week)

15th – 17th August 18th August

MPSHS Maths and Science Week –

15th to 18th August 2016.

• At the same time, the MPSHS Maths

Science Academy (MSA) Students

hosted a STEMFare expo in the school

hall which focused on robotics, music

and the augmented reality sandbox.

• Jim Chalmers MP also joined us on

Wednesday to celebrate the event.

Outcomes:

• The STEMFare at Harris Fields SS was

extremely successful, with at least 1000primary school students from three different

schools attending over the three days.

Chloe (Current UQ Ambassador)

Bruce (Current UQ Ambassador)

Isa (Current UQ Ambassador)

Brittany (Past UQ Ambassador)

Matt (Current UQ Ambassador)

Maths and Science Week – 18th

August 2016

• Mabel Park and Slacks Creek State Schools

were invited to Mabel Park State High School

for our own science expo.

• The expo included various demonstrations

conducted by the UQ Ambassadors, as well as

‘Apple Spirals', 'Watermelon Bucky Balls’,

drones, robotics and our own augmented

reality sandbox.

• Mr Raadts showcased our newly purchased

DJI Phantom 4 drone on this day! (more photos on

next slide)

Brittany (Past UQAmbassador)

Bruce (Current UQAmbassador)

Isa (Current UQAmbassador)

Ada Lovelace day

• Female UQ Science ambassadors from Mabel were

invited to the Ada Lovelace Day, which is an

international celebration day for the achievements of

women in science, technology, engineering and

mathematics (STEM). It aims to increase the profile of

women in STEM and create new role models who will

encourage more females into STEM careers which are

somewhat mostly male dominated.

“Girl Power Equals Winning Equation”

• The hard work of past UQ Science Ambassadors at

Mabel - Brittany, Hayley and Medina. Also, this

year’s current ambassadors - Isabella and Chloe were

featured in an article published by the Courier Mail in

September.

• The UQ Science Ambassador program, along with the

support of Mrs King on-stie, is helping to build the

confidence for all of our students, but especially

females, to enrol in high level mathematics and

science subjects at Mabel Park.

Courier Mail

MPFEST Science Demonstrations

19th of October 2016

• Every year, Mabel Park State High students host MPFEST which

showcases the talents of many students within the school.

Performances include mainly singing, dancing, cultural dancing,

and this year, science experiments.

• The UQ Science Ambassadors, as well as a Griffith Science

Ambassador hosted a ten minute session of science demonstrations.

Pictures on next slide

Experiments included elephants

toothpaste, vanishing water, and

exploding balloons of oxygen (O2),

hydrogen (H2) and hydrogen and

oxygen (H2O2).

STEM Cells @ UQ

UQ Science Ambassadors will be helping out the Year 8’s and 9’s on the day. The STEM Cells day at UQ will outline what University will be like, and what to expect overall.

Upcoming Events:

Awards Night 7th November

MSA and UQScience Ambassadors will be formally acknowledged for their efforts at the upcoming MPSHS awards night.